Crossword Genius

Cold cuts from French speaker for painter (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

decorator

'for painter' is the definition.
(someone paid to decorate with paint)

'cold cuts from french speaker' is the wordplay.
'cold' becomes 'c' (eg on taps).
'cuts' is an insertion indicator (some letters cut their way into a word).
'from french' becomes 'de' ('from' in French).
'speaker' becomes 'orator' (orator is a kind of speaker).
'de'+'orator'='deorator'
'c' inserted within 'deorator' is 'DECORATOR'.

(Other definitions for decorator that I've seen before include "Worker embellishing a property" , "Eg, painter, wallpaperer" , "chap giving medals?" , "Painter perhaps" , "Painter, wallpaper hanger" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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