Crossword Genius

Black horse in bad dream (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

nightmare

'bad dream' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'black horse' is the wordplay.
'black' becomes 'night' (I've seen this before).
'horse' becomes 'mare' (mare is a kind of horse).
'night'+'mare'='NIGHTMARE'

'in' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for nightmare that I've seen before include "Bad dream" , "Very unpleasant experience" , "causing distress to the Lord Chancellor?" , "Scary fantasy while asleep" , "It makes one restless" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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