Crossword Genius

Rattle is interrupting when making showy greeting (3,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

air kiss

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'showy greeting' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I cannot judge whether this works.

'rattle is interrupting when' is the wordplay.
'rattle' becomes 'irk' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'interrupting' is an insertion indicator.
'when' becomes 'as' (eg 'when I walked' means 'as I walked').
'irk'+'is'='irkis'
'irkis' placed within 'as' is 'AIR-KISS'.

'making' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for air kiss that I've seen before include "contactless transaction" , "form of greeting" , "Greeting that's not touching" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
Want a hint initially instead of a full solution? Install my app