Crossword Genius

Fiddled, printing stuff in 'dead tree' version (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

tinkered

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'fiddled printing' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with contact as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?

'stuff in dead tree version' is the wordplay.
'stuff' becomes 'ink' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'dead' becomes 'd' (abbreviation in government records).
'version' indicates anagramming the letters.
'd'+'tree'='dtree'
'dtree' anagrammed gives 'tered'.
'ink' placed into 'tered' is 'TINKERED'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for tinkered that I've seen before include "Fiddled trivially (with)" , "Fiddled with, trying to repair" , "Was meddling" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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