Condescending, possessing small cunning (9)

I believe the answer is:

designing

'cunning' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'condescending possessing small' is the wordplay.
'condescending' becomes 'deigning' ('deign' can be a synonym of 'condescend').
'possessing' indicates putting letters inside.
'small' becomes 's' (abbreviation - e.g. clothes size).
'deigning' going around 's' is 'DESIGNING'.

(Another definition for designing that I've seen is " Acting in a calculating and deceitful way".)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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