Crossword Genius

Bedevilled groups spend oddly (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

possessed

'bedevilled' is the definition.

'groups spend oddly' is the wordplay.
'groups' becomes 'posses'.
'oddly' means one should take alternating letters (letters in the odd-numbered positions are used).
The alternate letters of 'spend' are 'sed'.
'posses'+'sed'='POSSESSED'

(Other definitions for possessed that I've seen before include "It's collected" , "Had ownership of" , "being under a spell" , "Bore" , "Enjoyed" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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