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Food routes Osage and Hopi interchanged (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

oesophagi

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'food routes' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are plural nouns, I cannot see how one could define the other.

I don't understand the remainder of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for oesophagi that I've seen before include "What act as channels" , "inner tubes" , "parts of canals" , "Crops" , "pipes" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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