Crossword Genius

Minister's aide tormented a co-ed head (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

deaconess

'minister's aide' is the definition.
(a deacon or deaconess assists a priest)

'tormented a co-ed head' is the wordplay.
'tormented' indicates anagramming the letters.
'head' becomes 'ness' (ness is a headland).
'a'+'co'+'ed'='acoed'
'acoed' is an anagram of 'deaco'.
'deaco'+'ness'='DEACONESS'

(Other definitions for deaconess that I've seen before include "Female lay official of the church" , "Minister" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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