Crossword Genius

Belligerent disputes at Coombe, now and then (11)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

quarrelsome

'belligerent' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'disputes at coombe now and then' is the wordplay.
'disputes' becomes 'quarrels' (quarrel is a kind of dispute).
'at' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'now and then' indicates alternate letters (letters taken on a regular basis, now and then).
The alternate letters of 'coombe' are 'ome'.
'quarrels'+'ome'='QUARRELSOME'

(Other definitions for quarrelsome that I've seen before include "contentious" , "up for scrap?" , "Belligerent - queer morals (anag)" , "Disputatious, argumentative" , "Combative" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.
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