Appealing and periodically acquitted (4)
I believe the answer is:
cute
'appealing' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'periodically acquitted' is the wordplay.
'periodically' means one should take alternating letters (letters must be selected 'every so often').
The alternate letters of 'acquitted' are 'CUTE'.
'and' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for cute that I've seen before include "Appealing -- cunning" , "Charming, quaint" , "Attractive or ingenious" , "Small and attractive - cunning" , "Pretty or cunning" .)