Crossword Genius

Painstaking character of oarsmen originally entering via loch (12)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

thoroughness

'painstaking character' is the definition.

'oarsmen originally entering via loch' is the wordplay.
'originally' suggests taking the first letters.
'entering' indicates putting letters inside.
'via' becomes 'through' (I've seen this before).
'loch' becomes 'ness' (I've seen this before).
The initial letter of 'oarsmen' is 'o'.
'o' going into 'through' is 'thorough'.
'thorough'+'ness'='THOROUGHNESS'

'of' is the link.

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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