Crossword Genius

Misfortunes with pelt around part of eg the Malverns? (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

hillside

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'eg the malverns?' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'misfortunes with pelt around' is the wordplay.
'misfortunes with' becomes 'ills' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'pelt' becomes 'hide' (synonyms).
'around' indicates putting letters inside.
'ills' going into 'hide' is 'HILLSIDE'.

'part of' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for hillside that I've seen before include "fell?" , "The slope of rising land" , "Where Arnold's Scholar travelled" , "Slope of a small mountain" , "Where climbers may start" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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