Crossword Genius

What's touching about mother country? (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

oman

'country?' is the definition.
(Oman is an example)

'what's touching about mother' is the wordplay.
'what's touching' becomes 'on'.
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'mother' becomes 'ma' (ma is a kind of mother).
'on' going around 'ma' is 'OMAN'.

(Other definitions for oman that I've seen before include "Gulf sultanate" , "Land" , "Muscat's country" , "Arabian country, capital Muscat" , "Gulf state" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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