Crossword Genius

Say Mark is with East German Max (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

uttermost

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'max' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?

'say mark is with east german' is the wordplay.
'say' becomes 'utter' (to utter something is to speak or say it).
'mark' becomes 'm'.
'is with' says to put letters next to each other.
'east german' becomes 'ost' ('east' in German).
'utter'+'m'+'ost'='UTTERMOST'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for uttermost that I've seen before include "Chief" , "Maximum - extremity" , "at the furthest limit" , "Extreme" , "Greatest possible extent" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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