Crossword Genius

Study upset dog? Let me think... (3,2)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

mug up

'study' is the definition.
(I know that mug up has the is a more specific form of the action study)

'upset dog? let me think' is the wordplay.
'upset' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'dog?' becomes 'pug' (pug is a kind of dog).
'let me think' becomes 'um' (expression of hesitation).
'pug'+'um'='pugum'
'pugum' written backwards gives 'MUG UP'.

(Other definitions for mug up that I've seen before include "Quickly revise" , "Learn quickly (for exam)" , "Revise for an exam" , "revise intensively" , "Cram" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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