Crossword Genius

Cooks fruit in packet, perhaps (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

steamship

'packet perhaps' is the definition.
(packet boat is a type of steamship)

'cooks fruit' is the wordplay.
'cooks' becomes 'steams' (steaming is a kind of cooking).
'fruit' becomes 'hip' (I have seen 'Fruit of rose ' mean 'hip' so perhaps 'fruit' could also mean 'hip').
'steams'+'hip'='STEAMSHIP'

'in' is the link.

(Other definitions for steamship that I've seen before include "SS in full" , "I pass them (anag) - vessel" , "Queen Elizabeth, for one?" , "Tramp, say" , "Vessel with funnels" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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