Crossword Genius

Long story is something exciting when written up (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

saga

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'long story' is the definition.
(a saga is a long and complicated story)

'something exciting when written up' is the wordplay.
'something exciting' becomes 'ag' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'when' becomes 'as' (eg 'when I walked' means 'as I walked').
'written up' says the letters should be written in reverse (in a down clues, letters go up).
'ag'+'as'='agas'
'agas' backwards is 'SAGA'.

'is' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for saga that I've seen before include "Long heroic, family, story" , "Epic story" , "Long narrative" , "Long and involved story" , "Account of great heroism" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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