Crossword Genius

Ballgame beauty packs a pistol (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

bagatelle

'ballgame' is the definition.
(game involving balls)

'beauty packs a pistol' is the wordplay.
'beauty' becomes 'belle' (I've seen this before).
'packs' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters are packed inside).
'pistol' becomes 'gat' (gat is a kind of pistol).
'a'+'gat'='agat'
'belle' enclosing 'agat' is 'BAGATELLE'.

(Other definitions for bagatelle that I've seen before include "Pinball game - something of little value" , "shooting game" , "Board-game, trifle" , "trifling amount" , "Trifling matter" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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