Crossword Genius

Clowns one spots touring island (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

idiots

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'clowns' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I can't see?

'one spots touring island' is the wordplay.
'one' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral).
'spots' becomes 'dots' (I have seen 'Tiny spots ' mean 'dots' so perhaps 'spots' could also mean 'dots').
'touring' means one lot of letters goes inside another (tour can mean to go around).
'island' becomes 'i' (geographical abbreviation).
'dots' placed around 'i' is 'diots'.
'i'+'diots'='IDIOTS'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for idiots that I've seen before include "chumps" , "Foolish ones" , "Foolish people" , "Fools, dimwits" , "Nincompoops" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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