Crossword Genius

In the States, a wrong number (12)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

anaesthetist

'number' is the definition.
(someone who numbs people before surgery)

'in the states a wrong' is the wordplay.
'wrong' indicates anagramming the letters.
'in'+'the'+'states'+'a'='inthestatesa'
'inthestatesa' with letters rearranged gives 'ANAESTHETIST'.

(Other definitions for anaesthetist that I've seen before include "Hospital theatre worker" , "One preparing patients for operations" , "Number" .)

I've seen this clue in The Everyman puzzle in The Observer.
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