Crossword Genius

Get sidetracked — I note during shift? (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

digress

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'get sidetracked' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'i note during shift?' is the wordplay.
'i note' becomes 'ig' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'during' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'shift?' becomes 'dress' (shift is a kind of dress).
'ig' put within 'dress' is 'DIGRESS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for digress that I've seen before include "Deviate from the main subject" , "Go off the point" , "Wander from subject" , "Get off the point" , "Ramble" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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