How To Solve Cryptic Crosswords - Title Page Clue - (5) At The End Of The Road, Turn East And You Will Find The Courts

[Acolyte64]

Please could anyone volunteer possible solutions for the following cryptic clue compiled by Kevin Skinner in his book 'How to Solve Cryptic Crosswords'?

"At the end of the road, turn east and you will find the courts (5)"

My guess at the answer is 'sated' from an anagram of 'East' and the letter d from the end of the word 'road'. It seems to fit the sense of a clue especially placed at the front of the book by the author. He writes that when one can open the book and solve the clue then the solver will no longer require the book.

The reason I submit the question here is that I have looked at the clue since 2007 when I purchased the book, and don't have any further inspiration about an answer. Perhaps that means I should continue revising the book. Even so, I have contacted the publisher to see if they know the solution but apparently this has not been recorded and as far as I can tell there isn't a solution to it posted elsewhere online, so I should certainly be gratified to receive other people's suggestions about what the light could be.

I feel I should mention that this is my only post so far to this forum, so I do hope I have conformed to the community guidelines for this entry but I beg your indulgence if I could have presented the question in a different manner.

[Svejk]

dates-courts

[Svejk]

your working out was right, you just got the wrong word. ;o)

[Acolyte64]

Thanks for your reply Svejk. I did consider Dates as there seems to be a connection with 'Courts' but I just had the feeling that the solution might be more connected with the theme of completing the book. I expect that's my mistake, but thank you very much for the suggested solution.