Crossword Genius

Call the clues oddly spurious, practically (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

telephone

'call' is the definition.
(I know that call can be written as telephone)

'the clues oddly spurious practically' is the wordplay.
'oddly' means one should take alternating letters (letters in odd-numbered positions).
'spurious' becomes 'phoney' (spurious means phoney or false).
'practically' means to remove the last letter (practically all of the letters).
'the'+'clues'='theclues'
The alternating letters of 'theclues' are 'tele'.
'phoney' with its final letter taken away is 'phone'.
'tele'+'phone'='TELEPHONE'

(Other definitions for telephone that I've seen before include "Electronic voice transmitter" , "Communicating tool" , "communicator" , "Electronic sound equipment" , "Communication device" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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