Crossword Genius

Pip, unfriendly and staid, fully alert? (5-4,5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

stone-cold sober

'fully alert?' is the definition.
(completely alert or sober)

'pip unfriendly and staid' is the wordplay.
'pip' becomes 'stone' (the stone of a fruit).
'unfriendly' becomes 'cold' (similar in meaning).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'staid' becomes 'sober' (synonyms).
'stone'+'cold'+'sober'='STONE-COLD SOBER'

(Another definition for stone-cold sober that I've seen is " Not a bit drunk".)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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