Crossword Genius

Soviet official giving order to young woman in taxi? (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

commissar

'soviet official' is the definition.
(type of government official in the USSR)

'order to young woman in taxi?' is the wordplay.
'order' becomes 'om' (Order of Merit).
'to young woman' becomes 'miss' (title for a young woman).
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'taxi?' becomes 'car' (taxi is a kind of car).
'om'+'miss'='ommiss'
'ommiss' placed within 'car' is 'COMMISSAR'.

'giving' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for commissar that I've seen before include "Party official" , "Soviet official" , "USSR official" , "Communist official" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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