What does the cryptic crossword clue "Awful jerk's penning paper (6)" mean?

The definition is "Awful". The wordplay uses charade, container. TIC (synonym of "jerk's") + RAG (synonym of "paper") [container: "penning"]; definition: "Awful" The answer is TRAGIC.

Awful jerk's penning paper (6)

Guardian Cryptic #29236 | 24 Across | 2023-11-24 flower

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