Something else bugging me about this one . . . I have AIR-BENDS made from the removed letters, which seems to have more to do with the bends from deep-sea diving, than inebriation. But then, I don't have that Chambers dictionary yet . . . Any explanation from anybody please?
BRANDIES is an anagram of those letters, Catron, but the setter says the letters go in clue order & spell out a hyphenated word. Clue order gives AIRBENDS, which leaves only one place the hyphen can go & the result AIR-BENDS. So still puzzled . . .