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“A bit soft in the head,” object to (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

particle

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'a bit' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Small bit ' mean 'particle' so perhaps 'bit' could also mean 'particle')

'soft in the head object to' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'soft' could be 'p' (musical abbreviation for 'piano') and 'p' is present in the answer.
'the' could be 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects) and 't' is located in the answer.
'object' could be 'cl' (Cl is an example) and 'cl' is found in the answer.
The remaining letters 'arie' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for particle that I've seen before include "Grain, tiny piece" , "Minute piece of matter" , "Fragment of matter" , "Prelatic (anag.)" , "Small unit of matter" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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