Crossword Genius

Dress protecting male and female in horror film (3,3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

the fog

'horror film' is the definition.
(1980 film)

'dress protecting male and female' is the wordplay.
'dress' becomes 'tog' (synonyms).
'protecting' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters are held or protected).
'male' becomes 'he' (he refers to a man).
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'female' becomes 'f' (common abbreviation).
'he'+'f'='hef'
'tog' going around 'hef' is 'THE FOG'.

'in' acts as a link.

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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