Crossword Genius

Thinking of strange island state (10)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

rumination

'thinking' is the definition.
(rumination is a kind of thinking)

'strange island state' is the wordplay.
'strange' becomes 'rum' (I've seen this before).
'island' becomes 'i'.
'state' becomes 'nation' ('nation' can be a synonym of 'state'**).
'rum'+'i'+'nation'='RUMINATION'

'of' is the link.

(Other definitions for rumination that I've seen before include "Thought" , "thinking" , "Musing" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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