Crossword Genius

Laugh and talk intermittently during task (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

chortle

'laugh' is the definition.
(chortling is a kind of laughing)

'talk intermittently during task' is the wordplay.
'intermittently' means one should take alternating letters.
'during' indicates putting letters inside.
'task' becomes 'chore' ('chore' can be a synonym of 'task').
The alternating letters of 'talk' are 'tl'.
'tl' placed within 'chore' is 'CHORTLE'.

'and' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for chortle that I've seen before include "Guffaw" , "Joyous chuckle" , "Laugh out loud" , "Noisy gleeful laugh" , "Titter" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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