Crossword Genius

Girl escorted outside I helped (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

availed

'helped' is the definition.
(availing is a kind of helping)

'girl escorted outside i' is the wordplay.
'girl' becomes 'ava' (**).
'escorted' becomes 'led'.
'outside' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'ava'+'led'='avaled'
'avaled' placed around 'i' is 'AVAILED'.

(Other definitions for availed that I've seen before include "Helped" , "Used, put into service" , "Used to one's advantage" , "Profited from" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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