Crossword Genius

Johnson taken in by cunning southern tree experts (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

arborists

'tree experts' is the definition.
(term for tree surgeons)

'johnson taken in by cunning southern' is the wordplay.
'johnson' becomes 'Boris' (UK prime minister Boris Johnson).
'taken in by' is an insertion indicator.
'cunning' becomes 'art' (both can mean artfulness or trickery).
'southern' becomes 's' (abbreviation).
'boris' inserted inside 'art' is 'arborist'.
'arborist'+'s'='ARBORISTS'

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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