Crossword Genius

Stories told originally when having drinks in pubs? (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

tales

'stories' is the definition.
('tale' can be a synonym of 'story')

'told originally when having drinks in pubs?' is the wordplay.
'originally' says to take the initial letters.
'when having' says to put letters next to each other.
'drinks in pubs?' becomes 'ales'.
The first letter of 'told' is 't'.
't'+'ales'='TALES'

(Other definitions for tales that I've seen before include "Stories, yarns" , "Lies" , "accounts" , "Stale kind of stories" , "Relations" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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