Crossword Genius

Little creature regularly baited around Orient (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

beastie

'little creature' is the definition.

'regularly baited around orient' is the wordplay.
'regularly' indicates alternate letters (regularly take one letter, leave next etc.).
'around' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'orient' becomes 'east' ('East' can be a synonym of 'orient').
The alternating letters of 'baited' are 'bie'.
'bie' going around 'east' is 'BEASTIE'.

(Another definition for beastie that I've seen is " Rabbie Burns's wee mouse".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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