Crossword Genius

Troubled as heading for Urdu oral in alert state (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

arousal

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

'alert state' is the definition.
'arousal' can be an answer for 'state' (arousal is a kind of state). I'm unsure of the 'alert' bit.

'troubled as heading for urdu oral' is the wordplay.
'troubled' indicates anagramming the letters.
'heading for' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'urdu' is 'u'.
'as'+'u'+'oral'='asuoral'
'asuoral' is an anagram of 'AROUSAL'.

'in' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for arousal that I've seen before include "Drinking spree" , "Awakening (of emotion, etc)" , "Sexual excitement" , "Act of awakening" , "Act of waking (someone)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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