Crossword Genius

Scandalous date when soldiers upset tribe? (11)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

assignation

'scandalous date' is the definition.
(assignation can a secret meeting)

'when soldiers upset tribe?' is the wordplay.
'when' becomes 'as' (eg 'when I walked' means 'as I walked').
'soldiers' becomes 'gis' (GI is an informal term for a US soldier).
'upset' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'tribe?' becomes 'nation' (tribe is a kind of nation).
'gis' in reverse letter order is 'sig'.
'as'+'sig'+'nation'='ASSIGNATION'

(Other definitions for assignation that I've seen before include "Secret meeting" , "clandestine meeting" , "Go in as saint (anag.)" , "Secret rendezvous" , "The date" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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