Crossword Genius

Sailor’s tea urn oddly appearing (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

tar

'sailor's' is the definition.
(slang term for a sailor)

'tea urn oddly appearing' is the wordplay.
'oddly appearing' indicates alternate letters (letters in odd-numbered positions).
'tea'+'urn'='teaurn'
The alternate letters of 'teaurn' are 'TAR'.

(Other definitions for tar that I've seen before include "Black coat" , "Dark viscid substance" , "Black viscid substance" , "Sticky stuff for a kind of sailor" , "one may need to pay on boat" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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