Surreal essay across issue’s front pages (6)

I believe the answer is:

trippy

'surreal' is the definition.

'essay across issuersquos front pages' is the wordplay.
'essay' becomes 'try' (synonyms).
'across' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'front' says to take the initial letters.
'pages' becomes 'pp'.
The first letter of 'issuersquos' is 'i'.
'i'+'pp'='ipp'
'try' going around 'ipp' is 'TRIPPY'.

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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