Crossword Genius

Tin hat battered in conflict, people united, eh? (4,2,9)

Ross

I think it could be either:

Which length description are you looking for?:

4,2,9

6*

what in tarnation

'eh?' is the definition.
(exclamation of surprise)

'tin hat battered in conflict people united' is the wordplay.
'battered' indicates anagramming the letters.
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'conflict' becomes 'war' (war is a kind of conflict).
'people united' becomes 'nation'.
'tin'+'hat'='tinhat'
'tinhat' is an anagram of 'hatint'.
'hatint' put within 'war' is 'whatintar'.
'whatintar'+'nation'='WHAT IN TARNATION'

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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