Time trial is hit: so copied exactly? (9)

I believe the answer is:

literatim

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'exactly?' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'time trial is hit' is the wordplay.
'is hit' indicates anagramming the letters.
'time'+'trial'='timetrial'
'timetrial' anagrammed gives 'LITERATIM'.

'so copied' acts as a link.
This may not be correct. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.

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(Other definitions for literatim that I've seen before include "showing no change of character" , "one letter at a time" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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