Crossword Genius

Dote best, oddly, when infatuated (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

besotted

'infatuated' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'dote best oddly' is the wordplay.
'oddly' indicates anagramming the letters (letters in an odd order).
'dote'+'best'='dotebest'
'dotebest' with letters rearranged gives 'BESOTTED'.

'when' is the link.

(Other definitions for besotted that I've seen before include "Mad" , "Infatuated, mentally intoxicated" , "Doting" , "Infatuated - so betted accordingly" , "Smitten" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Express.
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