Crossword Genius

Repeat unfortunately follows old work (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

operate

'work' is the definition.
(I know that work can be written as operate)

'repeat unfortunately follows old' is the wordplay.
'unfortunately' indicates an anagram (a bad or unfortunate spelling).
'follows' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'old' becomes 'o' (abbreviation).
'repeat' anagrammed gives 'perate'.
'perate' after 'o' is 'OPERATE'.

(Other definitions for operate that I've seen before include "man" , "Work as a surgeon" , "Perform as surgeon does" , "Control, run, a machine say" , "Act in a theatre" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun.
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