Popular sort of spider is exceptional (8)

I believe the answer is:

inspired

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'exceptional' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?

'popular sort of spider' is the wordplay.
'popular' becomes 'in' ('in' can mean trendy).
'sort of' indicates anagramming the letters.
'spider' is an anagram of 'spired'.
'in'+'spired'='INSPIRED'

'is' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for inspired that I've seen before include "Divinely influenced" , "Stirred to action, fired up" , "prompted" , "Drew in" , "Animated with ideas" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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