Crossword Genius

Work with football team keeping one quiet long into the night? (10)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

manipulate

'work' is the definition.
(work can mean to manipulate or manoeuvre)

'football team keeping one quiet long into the night?' is the wordplay.
'football team' becomes 'man u' (short for Manchester United).
'keeping' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'one' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral).
'quiet' becomes 'p' (music symbol for 'piano', ie soft or quiet).
'long into the night?' becomes 'late' (late at night).
'i'+'p'='ip'
'manu' going around 'ip' is 'manipu'.
'manipu'+'late'='MANIPULATE'

'with' is the link.

(Other definitions for manipulate that I've seen before include "Use" , "Handle, manoeuvre" , "Influence someone deviously" , "Doctor" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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