Crossword Genius

I do it when playing the fool (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

idiot

'the fool' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'i do it when playing' is the wordplay.
'when playing' is an anagram indicator.
'do'+'it'='doit'
'doit' with letters rearranged gives 'diot'.
'i'+'diot'='IDIOT'

(Other definitions for idiot that I've seen before include "Twit" , "Fool, silly person" , "Ignoramus's" , "Imbecile" , "Dunce" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail and The Guardian.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.