Crossword Genius

Sorrow as Mandy oddly cut head (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

sadness

'sorrow' is the definition.
(I know that sorrow can be written as sadness)

'as mandy oddly cut head' is the wordplay.
'oddly cut' means one should take alternating letters (letters in odd-numbered positions removed).
'head' becomes 'ness' (type of geographical point).
'as'+'mandy'='asmandy'
The alternate letters of 'asmandy' are 'sad'.
'sad'+'ness'='SADNESS'

(Other definitions for sadness that I've seen before include "Gloom" , "Melancholy" , "no joy there" , "distress" , "Grief" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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