Crossword Genius

Is old cat welcoming a time in quarantine? (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

isolation

'quarantine?' is the definition.
(I know that isolation is a type of quarantine)

'is old cat welcoming a time' is the wordplay.
'old' becomes 'o' (common abbreviation eg in OE for Old English).
'cat' becomes 'lion' (lion is a kind of cat).
'welcoming' means one lot of letters goes inside another (in sense of 'inviting in').
'time' becomes 't' (abbreviation).
'a'+'t'='at'
'lion' placed around 'at' is 'lation'.
'is'+'o'+'lation'='ISOLATION'

'in' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for isolation that I've seen before include "loneliness" , "Staff in such a hospital working with" , "State of being alone" , "Being separated" , "Seeking seclusion" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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