Crossword Genius

Upset to a great degree in certain circumstances (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

aegrotat

'degree in certain circumstances' is the definition.
(academic degree awarded in certain conditions)

'upset to a great' is the wordplay.
'upset' indicates anagramming the letters.
'to'+'a'+'great'='toagreat'
'toagreat' is an anagram of 'AEGROTAT'.

(Other definitions for aegrotat that I've seen before include "university qualification" , "one who gets through" , "Evidence of university malaise" , "Medical certificate exempting student from exam" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
Want a hint initially instead of a full solution? Install my app