Bother soldier to return ruin, in part (9)
I believe the answer is:
rigmarole
'part' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'bother soldier to return ruin in' is the wordplay.
'bother' becomes 'role' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'soldier' becomes 'GI' (GI can mean a US soldier).
'to return' says the letters should be written backwards.
'ruin' becomes 'mar' (I've seen this in another clue).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'gi' written backwards gives 'ig'.
'ig'+'mar'='igmar'
'role' placed around 'igmar' is 'RIGMAROLE'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for rigmarole that I've seen before include "Elaborate procedure" , "red tape?" , "long, tedious business" , "Complicated procedure, nonsense" , "fuss" .)