Crossword Genius

Both are awfully risqué (4,3,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

near the bone

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

'risque' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'both are awfully' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
an anagram of 'are' is 'ear' which is located in the answer.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for near the bone that I've seen before include "quite dirty" , "blue" , "On the verge of indecency" , "thus gets under the skin?" , "almost indecent" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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