Crossword Genius

Insects do not start vitamin deficiency (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

rickets

'vitamin deficiency' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'insects do not start' is the wordplay.
'insects' becomes 'crickets' (cricket is a type of insect).
'do not start' means to remove the first letter.
'crickets' with its initial letter removed is 'RICKETS'.

(Other definitions for rickets that I've seen before include "Bone-distorting disease" , "Children's disease" , "Childhood disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin D" , "Bone disease, caused by vitamin D deficiency" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Express.
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