Crossword Genius

Ordinary call for help by Oscar (2-2)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

so-so

'ordinary' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'call for help by oscar' is the wordplay.
'call for help' becomes 'sos' (I've seen this in another clue).
'by' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'oscar' becomes 'O' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'sos'+'o'='SO-SO'

(Other definitions for so-so that I've seen before include "'Passable, middling (2-2)'" , "Tolerable, indifferent" , "Fair to middling" , "Indifferently good" , "Informally, only moderately good or well" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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