Crossword Genius

Oddly Lou Reed's drug free, touring India - it's brilliant (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

lurid

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'drug free touring india it's brilliant' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.

'oddly lou reed's' is the wordplay.
'oddly' means one should take alternating letters (letters in the odd-numbered positions are used).
'reed' becomes 'rid' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
The alternating letters of 'lou' are 'lu'.
'lu'+'rid'='LURID'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for lurid that I've seen before include "Gloomily threatening" , "Awfully bright" , "Grim" , "Ghastly bright" , "Vivid, sensational" .)

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