Crossword Genius

Key article delayed getting rocket (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

escalate

'rocket' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'key article delayed getting' is the wordplay.
'key' becomes 'esc' ('Escape' key on a computer keyboard).
'article' becomes 'a' (indefinite article).
'delayed' becomes 'late' (I've seen this before).
'getting' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'esc'+'a'+'late'='ESCALATE'

(Other definitions for escalate that I've seen before include "Ramp up" , "Tease Cal badly and mount up" , "Increase in magnitude" , "Raise to higher level, perhaps war" , "Cause to increase, say dispute (8)." .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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