Crossword Genius

Five having a bad time - more than Hamlet? (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

village

'more than hamlet?' is the definition.
(a village is larger than a hamlet)

'five having a bad time' is the wordplay.
'five' becomes 'v' ('V' can be a synonym of 'five').
'having' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'a bad' becomes 'ill' (I've seen this before).
'time' becomes 'age' (age is a kind of time).
'v'+'ill'+'age'='VILLAGE'

(Other definitions for village that I've seen before include "little place" , "Small residential area" , "Small community" , "Settlement smaller than a town" , "Goldsmith poem 'The Deserted .......'" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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