What does the cryptic crossword clue "City's former special police after fashionable old writer (9)" mean?

The definition is "City". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). IN (synonym="‘fashionable’") + VERNE (synonym="Jules, ‘old writer’") + SS (synonym="Schutzstaffel, ‘former special police’ – the Allgem e ine SS had the more police-like duties") = INVERNESS; definition: "City's" The answer is INVERNESS.

City's former special police after fashionable old writer (9)

Guardian Cryptic #28966 | 12 Across | 2023-01-13 flower

← Back to puzzle

Visit Guardian's puzzle site →