Crossword Genius

Small country lane initially badly laid across island (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

lilliput

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

'small country' is the definition.
'lilliput' can be an answer for 'country' (I have seen 'fictional country' mean 'lilliput' so perhaps 'country' could also mean 'lilliput'). I am not certain of the 'small' bit.

'lane initially badly laid across island' is the wordplay.
'initially' indicates taking the first letters.
'badly' becomes 'ill' (eg in ill-advised).
'laid' becomes 'put'.
'across' is an insertion indicator.
'island' becomes 'i' (geographical abbreviation).
The initial letter of 'lane' is 'l'.
'ill'+'put'='illput'
'illput' going around 'i' is 'illiput'.
'l'+'illiput'='LILLIPUT'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for lilliput that I've seen before include "home for little people" , "Country visited by Gulliver on his travels" , "Swift's fictional land of little people" , "Jonathan Swift's land of little people" , "Dean Swift's land of little people compared to Gulliver" .)

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