Guardian Cryptic: End With Short Break In Spain?

[Moulinsart]

21 Across: End with short break in Spain, getting the most out of it? (8) ?I?S?E?T
Is it MISSPENT and if so why, please?

[Lie-in King]

Tip-siest(a) - "it" = "It(alian vermouth)"

[Mamyalynne]

Tipsiest

Tip + Siest(a)

[dannyk13]

Tipsiest = tip(end) + siest(a) (short break)

[Moulinsart]

Thank you Lie-in King and Mamyalynne and dannyk13. 'Getting the most out of it' doesn't seem like a very good definition of 'tipsiest' to me, but I'm probably just sore because I didn't get the answer right!

[dannyk13]

It's getting the most out of it (vermouth)

[Lie-in King]

Hmm - I've probably made more of the clue than was intended, even though the parse works.

It's more likely to be simply - 'tipsiest' = 'the most out of it'

[Toorak]

The definition is just 'the most out of it' I think

[dannyk13]

I think your parse was good L-i k

[Mamyalynne]

I didn't spot the 'It' Vermouth part but it works equally well both ways of looking at it.

[Lie-in King]

Ta Danny, it was what I saw straight away & Mamya, it does :-)

[Moulinsart]

OK. I get it now. 'Out of it' meaning 'drunk'. I'm being very slow on the uptake today...