Affectionate touches change the skies to the south (6)

I believe the answer is:

kisses

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'affectionate touches' is the definition.
'kisses' can be an answer for 'touches' (kiss is a kind of touch). I'm not sure about the 'affectionate' bit.

'change the skies to the south' is the wordplay.
'change' indicates an anagram.
'to the south' becomes 's' (abbreviation).
'skies' with letters rearranged gives 'kisse'.
'kisse'+'s'='KISSES'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for kisses that I've seen before include "Pecks" , "caresses" , "Osculations" , "Light touches" , "Smackers" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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