Crossword Genius

Communist leader left number rising (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

lenin

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

'left number rising' is the wordplay.
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'number' becomes 'nine' (nine is a number).
'rising' is a reversal indicator (letters written upwards in a down clue).
'nine' reversed gives 'enin'.
'l'+'enin'='LENIN'

(Other definitions for lenin that I've seen before include "Linen for Communist" , "Vladimir Ilyich -, Soviet premier" , "Leader of the Russian Revolution" , "Russian revolutionary" , "Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov" .)

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