Crossword Genius

All wrong about a strange rite, it's true (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

literal

'true' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)

'all wrong about a strange rite' is the wordplay.
'wrong' indicates anagramming the letters.
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'a strange' is an anagram indicator.
'all' is an anagram of 'lal'.
'rite' with letters rearranged gives 'iter'.
'lal' enclosing 'iter' is 'LITERAL'.

'it's' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for literal that I've seen before include "According to the letter" , "Accurate and unexaggerated" , "Verbatim - true" , "Not figurative" , "Simple" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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