Crossword Genius

Most inadequate hotel and pub exposed in inspection (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

thinnest

'most inadequate' is the definition.

'hotel and pub exposed in inspection' is the wordplay.
'hotel' becomes 'h' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'and' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'pub' becomes 'inn' (I've seen this before).
'exposed in' is an insertion indicator.
'inspection' becomes 'test'.
'h'+'inn'='hinn'
'hinn' put into 'test' is 'THINNEST'.

(Other definitions for thinnest that I've seen before include "Most fine" , "Superlatively poor" , "Most slender as in tenths" , "Most slim" , "Least fat" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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