Crossword Genius

Sycophant is more prostrate before Queen (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

flatterer

'sycophant' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'more prostrate before queen' is the wordplay.
'more prostrate' becomes 'flatter' ('flat' can be a synonym of 'prostrate').
'before' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'queen' becomes 'er' (abbreviation for Elizabeth Regina).
'flatter'+'er'='FLATTERER'

'is' is the link.

(Other definitions for flatterer that I've seen before include "Sycophant" , "One uses butter" , "Person who imitates, perhaps" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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