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Particular time for a score (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

tempo

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'particular' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot understand how they can define each other.

'time for a score' is the wordplay.
'time' becomes 't' (abbreviation).
'for' says to put letters next to each other.
'a score' becomes 'empo' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
't'+'empo'='TEMPO'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for tempo that I've seen before include "Speed of 3A" , "Pace of a piece of music" , "Speed or beat, musically" , "Pace of a musical piece" , "Cadence" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.
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