Crossword Genius

Flat month in a pattern that's unusual (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

apartment

'flat' is the definition.
('apartment' can be a synonym of 'flat')

'month in a pattern that's unusual' is the wordplay.
'month' becomes 'm' (standard abbreviation).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'that's unusual' indicates anagramming the letters.
'a'+'pattern'='apattern'
'apattern' with letters rearranged gives 'apartent'.
'm' inserted inside 'apartent' is 'APARTMENT'.

(Other definitions for apartment that I've seen before include "quarters" , "Flat (chiefly US)" , "Flat (mainly US)" , "property" , "pad" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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