Selected a soft tart (9)
I believe the answer is:
appointed
'selected' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'a soft tart' is the wordplay.
'soft' becomes 'p' (musical abbreviation for piano, 'soft').
'tart' becomes 'pointed' (both can mean sarcastic or acerbic).
'a'+'p'+'pointed'='APPOINTED'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for appointed that I've seen before include "Furnished" , "Nominated to a position" , "in the post" , "Given the situation" , "Designated" .)