Crossword Genius

Ceremony after time becomes banal (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

trite

'banal' is the definition.
(I know that banal can be written as trite)

'ceremony after time' is the wordplay.
'ceremony' becomes 'rite' (rite is a kind of ceremony).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'time' becomes 't' (abbreviation).
'rite' put after 't' is 'TRITE'.

'becomes' is the link.

(Other definitions for trite that I've seen before include "Dull, unoriginal" , "Commonplace, hackneyed" , "Banal, commonplace" , "repeated too often" , "Lyre string" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun and The Times.
Want a hint initially instead of a full solution? Install my app