Crossword Genius

Country hotel baddie being kept outside (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

chad

'country' is the definition.
(I know that Chad is a country)

'hotel baddie being kept outside' is the wordplay.
'hotel' becomes 'h' (phonetic alphabet).
'baddie' becomes 'cad' (I've seen this in another clue).
'being kept outside' indicates putting letters inside.
'h' placed within 'cad' is 'CHAD'.

(Other definitions for chad that I've seen before include "Large, shallow lake in north central Africa" , "article put out by Punch?" , "Piece of (almost?) punched-out paper" , "African republic; punched bits" , "Paper punch waste; African country" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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