Crossword Genius

Slow delivery in breeze picking up catch, opener for Middlesex (5,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

snail mail

'slow delivery' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'breeze picking up catch opener for middlesex' is the wordplay.
'breeze' becomes 'sail' (both can mean to do something very easily).
'picking up' is an insertion indicator.
'catch' becomes 'nail' (I've seen this before).
'opener for' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'middlesex' is 'm'.
'nail'+'m'='nailm'
'sail' enclosing 'nailm' is 'SNAIL MAIL'.

'in' is the link.

(Other definitions for snail mail that I've seen before include "The conventional postal service" , "Modern jargon for letter post, mollusc-slow compared to electronic transport" , "Conventional (slow) post (informal)" , "Ordinary post" , "Slow delivery" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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