Crossword Genius

Historian in trouble penning year between lines (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

carlyle

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'historian' is the definition.
(Thomas Carlyle)

'in trouble penning year between lines' is the wordplay.
'in trouble' becomes 'care' (I am not sure about the 'in' bit.).
'penning' is an insertion indicator.
'year' becomes 'y'.
'between' indicates putting letters inside.
'lines' becomes 'll' (an abbreviation for line written twice).
'y' placed into 'll' is 'lyl'.
'care' enclosing 'lyl' is 'CARLYLE'.

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(Other definitions for carlyle that I've seen before include "Thomas ---, Victorian sage" , "Scots historian" , "Thomas --, Scottish social historian" , "Thomas -, nineteenth century British essayist/historian" , "Scottish writer" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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