Crossword Genius

Just as sailor turned up on bank (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

barely

'just' is the definition.
('barely' can be a synonym of 'just')

'sailor turned up on bank' is the wordplay.
'sailor' becomes 'ab' (abbreviation for able seaman**).
'turned up' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'on' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'bank' becomes 'rely' (I've seen this before).
'ab' back-to-front is 'ba'.
'ba'+'rely'='BARELY'

'as' is the link.

(Other definitions for barely that I've seen before include "Hardly" , "Just about, nothing to spare" , "as Godiva rode?" , "just a short while before" , "how streakers like to act?" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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