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I'm doing old Guardian cryptic puzzles which date back before fifteensquared - hence my request for help here.

A man around here may be taken for a girl. (3)

I have R?O and I am told the answer is RIO.

Why!

(m) oir (a) ?

Thank you.. That works. But IMHO that is a pathetic clue

I agree that it's a weak clue. Who was the compiler?

I think it's probably:- MA RIO N

So without MAN around it, MARION becomes RIO

I wish the A wasn't there but maybe I'm just being picky:-)

That works better, Brendan, as "around" was doing double duty in MOIRA. I agree about the "A". Not a good clue.

I agree about the ‘a’ and it’s a Rufus puzzle from 2002.

…though the clue says “a girl” so A MARION is derived from A MAN around RIO.
Still a bit clumsy.