Crossword Genius

Blotto nan's stopping before gin (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ensnare

'gin' is the definition.
(I know that ensnare is a is a kind of of gin)

'blotto nan's stopping before' is the wordplay.
'blotto' indicates anagramming the letters.
'stopping' is an insertion indicator (stopping can mean blocking a gap).
'before' becomes 'ere' (poetic term for 'before').
'nans' is an anagram of 'nsna'.
'nsna' inserted into 'ere' is 'ENSNARE'.

(Other definitions for ensnare that I've seen before include "Capture, trap" , "Ambush" , "Ecstatic expression of feeling" , "Catch as if in a trap or net" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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