Crossword Genius

Writer succeeded with two newspapers (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

swift

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

'succeeded with two newspapers' is the wordplay.
'two newspapers' means two substitutions for 'newspaper'.
'succeeded' becomes 's' (genealogical abbreviation).
'with' becomes 'w' (abbreviation).
'newspaper' becomes 'i' (UK newspaper).
'newspaper' becomes 'ft'.
's'+'w'+'i'+'ft'='SWIFT'

(Other definitions for swift that I've seen before include "wit?" , "Fast - novelist" , "A bird; Gulliver author" , "Fast moving; bird" , "Racy" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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