Crossword Genius

Contested area in case pamphleteer comes round (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

palestine

'contested area' is the definition.

'in case pamphleteer comes round' is the wordplay.
'in case' becomes 'lest' (I've seen this before).
'pamphleteer' becomes 'paine' (Thomas Paine).
'comes round' indicates putting letters inside.
'lest' placed inside 'paine' is 'PALESTINE'.

(Other definitions for palestine that I've seen before include "Middle-East area" , "territory under dispute" , "The historic Holy Land in neat piles" , "Region deriving its name from the Philistines" , "Penalties on region once known as Canaan" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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