Crossword Genius

Figures go back a bit (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

data

'figures' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'go back a bit' is the wordplay.
'go back' is a reversal indicator.
'bit' becomes 'tad' (both can mean a small amount).
'a'+'tad'='atad'
'atad' in reverse letter order is 'DATA'.

(Other definitions for data that I've seen before include "intelligence" , "Facts and figures as fed to computers (4)" , "Contents of some banks?" , "tables, perhaps" , "Facts - Star Trek android" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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