Crossword Genius

Incomplete romantic gift Everyman had offered up in muddle (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

disorder

'muddle' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'incomplete romantic gift everyman had offered up' is the wordplay.
'incomplete' means to remove the last letter.
'romantic gift' becomes 'red rose'.
'everyman had' becomes 'id' (where the crossword setter is 'Everyman').
'offered up' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'redrose' with its last letter taken off is 'redros'.
'redros'+'id'='redrosid'
'redrosid' backwards is 'DISORDER'.

'in' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for disorder that I've seen before include "breach of the peace" , "Muddle" , "Confusion; ailment" , "Confused state" , "Although it's only a minor ailment" .)

I've seen this clue in The Everyman puzzle in The Observer.
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