Crossword Genius

Reported truce spread by degrees (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

piecemeal

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

'reported truce spread' is the wordplay.
'reported truce' becomes 'piece' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'spread' becomes 'meal' (a spread of food).
'piece'+'meal'='PIECEMEAL'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for piecemeal that I've seen before include "a little at a time" , "Unsystematically" , "taken bit by bit" , "by degrees" , "Claim epee in gradual unsystematic way" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun and The Times.
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