Crossword Genius

Deserve new timer (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

merit

'deserve' is the definition.
(I know that deserve can be written as merit)

'new timer' is the wordplay.
'new' is an anagram indicator.
'timer' anagrammed gives 'MERIT'.

(Other definitions for merit that I've seen before include "Quality deserving reward" , "Excellence that deserves to be honoured" , "The M in OM" , "of a high order?" , "Good point or quality" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.
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