Crossword Genius

Overturned soil packs empty ditches (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

dumps

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

'overturned soil packs empty' is the wordplay.
'overturned' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'soil' becomes 'mud' (mudding is a kind of soiling).
'empty' suggests removing the centre.
'packs' with its middle removed is 'ps'.
'mud' back-to-front is 'dum'.
'dum'+'ps'='DUMPS'

(Other definitions for dumps that I've seen before include "Tips, discards" , "melancholic state" , "Disposes of - depression" , "Ends relationship" , "Waste tips" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times and The Sunday Times.
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