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In clues, yearns to be funny, superfluously (13)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

unnecessarily

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'superfluously' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adverbs. Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?

'in clues yearns to be funny' is the wordplay.
'to be funny' indicates an anagram.
'in'+'clues'+'yearns'='incluesyearns'
'incluesyearns' is an anagram of 'UNNECESSARILY'.

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I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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