Crossword Genius

Echo Spider-Woman dropping new complaint (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

earache

'complaint' is the definition.
(a type of medical complaint)

'echo spider-woman dropping new' is the wordplay.
'echo' becomes 'e' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'spider woman' becomes 'Arachne' (Arachne was turned into a spider in Greek myth).
'dropping' is a deletion indicator.
'new' becomes 'n' (abbreviation as in New Testament NT).
'arachne' with 'n' removed is 'arache'.
'e'+'arache'='EARACHE'

(Other definitions for earache that I've seen before include "a problem for some listeners" , "Lughole pain" , "complaint to The Listener" , "Aural complaint" , "listener's discomfort" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun and The Telegraph.
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