Crossword Genius

A variable rate — it's a little number (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

arietta

'a little number' is the definition.
(short piece of music or musical number)

'a variable rate it's' is the wordplay.
'variable' indicates an anagram.
'rate'+'it'='rateit'
'rateit' is an anagram of 'rietta'.
'a'+'rietta'='ARIETTA'

(Other definitions for arietta that I've seen before include "Short operatic song" , "Item by 6 [VERDI]" , "number from opera" , "Little song" , "Short operatic number" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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