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Offence outside public house by mysterious person (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

sphinx

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'mysterious person' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'offence outside public house by' is the wordplay.
'offence' becomes 'sin' (a sin is an offence or transgression).
'outside' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'public house' becomes 'ph' (abbreviation).
'by' becomes 'x' (2 by 4 is 2 x 4).
'sin' going around 'ph' is 'sphin'.
'sphin'+'x'='SPHINX'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for sphinx that I've seen before include "Enigmatic person; Egyptian statue" , "Riddling monster of Greek mythology" , "Monster of Egyptian statuary" , "Figure at Giza in Egypt" , "Egyptian atatue with lion's body and man's head" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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