How the sails went obliquely awry (9)

I believe the answer is:

slantwise

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'obliquely awry' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.

'how the sails went' is the wordplay.
'how' indicates an anagram (I've seen this in other clues).
'sails'+'went'='sailswent'
'sailswent' anagrammed gives 'SLANTWISE'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for slantwise that I've seen is " showing bias?".)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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