Crossword Genius

Does without tea? Shows affection (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

dotes

'shows affection' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'does without tea?' is the wordplay.
'without' means one lot of letters goes inside another ('without' can be similar in meaning to 'outside').
'tea?' becomes 't' (I've seen this in other clues).
'does' placed around 't' is 'DOTES'.

(Other definitions for dotes that I've seen before include "Showers with love" , "Shows great fondness, perhaps for spouse" , "Showers affection on" , "-- on, adores" , "Shows excessive love" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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