Crossword Genius

Couple tours river that is in grassland (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

prairie

'grassland' is the definition.
(prairie is a kind of grassland)

'couple tours river that is' is the wordplay.
'couple' becomes 'pair' ('pair' can be a synonym of 'couple').
'tours' is an insertion indicator.
'river' becomes 'r'.
'that is' becomes 'ie' ('i.e.' can be a synonym of 'that is').
'pair' enclosing 'r' is 'prair'.
'prair'+'ie'='PRAIRIE'

'in' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for prairie that I've seen before include "Barren plain" , "Extensive US grassland" , "Large treeless tract of grassland" , "Large grassland region" , "Grasslands" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times and The Sun.
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