I censored articles about understandably stiff-looking Captain (7)

I believe the answer is:

scarlet

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'i' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?

I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for scarlet that I've seen before include "Miss O'Hara appearing briefly" , "Cartels (anag.)" , "Vivid red" , "immoral" , "Cherry-red" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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