Accepting defeat, mostly recover, taking devious course? (7)

I believe the answer is:

helical

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But I can't explain it at all! Could you help me understand?

(Other definitions for helical that I've seen before include "In the form of a spiral" , "Curled like corkscrew" , "Spiral-shaped" , "Like a spiral or spring" , "Like the pattern on a snail's shell" .)

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