Negative comment about Times is smart (5)

I believe the answer is:

natty

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

'negative comment about times' is the wordplay.
'negative comment' becomes 'nay' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'times' becomes 'tt' (two abbreviations for time).
'nay' going around 'tt' is 'NATTY'.

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(Other definitions for natty that I've seen before include "Smart, fashionable (colloq.)" , "Stylish" , "Smart, spruce" , "Informally neat and well-dressed" , "Flashily smart" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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