Crossword Genius

Use common sense about mad arts, back the prophet (11)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

nostradamus

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'use common sense' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.

'about mad arts back the prophet' is the wordplay.
'about' is an insertion indicator.
'back' says the letters should be written backwards.
'the prophet' becomes 'nous' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'mad'+'arts'='madarts'
'madarts' back-to-front is 'stradam'.
'stradam' inserted within 'nous' is 'NOSTRADAMUS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for nostradamus that I've seen before include "visionary legend" , "Old prophet" , "who looks to the future" , "French sixteenth century astrologer" , "Famous astrologer" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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