Crossword Genius

Privates and sentry occasionally cross (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

crotchety

'cross' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'privates and sentry occasionally' is the wordplay.
'privates' becomes 'crotch' ('crotch' can be a synonym of 'privates').
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'occasionally' means one should take alternating letters.
The alternate letters of 'sentry' are 'ety'.
'crotch'+'ety'='CROTCHETY'

(Other definitions for crotchety that I've seen before include "Irritable" , "Ill-tempered" , "irascible" , "Short-tempered" , "Bad-humoured or peevish" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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