Spy ... or vicar? Odd characters noted in country (5)
I believe the answer is:
syria
'country' is the definition.
(Syria is an example)
'spy or vicar? odd characters noted' is the wordplay.
'odd characters noted' means one should take alternating letters.
'spy'+'or'+'vicar'='spyorvicar'
The alternate letters of 'spyorvicar' are 'SYRIA'.
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for syria that I've seen before include "Good judgement, knowledge" , "Ray is in the war-torn country, oddly" , "Country bordering?Lebanon" , "In Mediterranean area" , "St Paul's conversion happened on the road to its capital" .)