Crossword Genius

Volume with American spelling at one reading class (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

literati

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'volume with american spelling' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'at one reading class' is the wordplay.
'at' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'one' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral).
'reading' becomes 'lit' (abbreviation for literature).
'class' becomes 'erat' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'lit'+'erat'='literat'
'i' after 'literat' is 'LITERATI'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for literati that I've seen before include "intellectuals" , "The intelligentsia interested in writing and reading" , "Well-educated readers" , "group of learned people" , "Well-read types" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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