Crossword Genius

Fantastic country is fine, with a lake (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

faerie

'fantastic country' is the definition.
(fairyland)

'fine with a lake' is the wordplay.
'fine' becomes 'f' (abbreviation e.g. condition of old coins, books).
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'lake' becomes 'erie' (Lake Erie is one of the Canadian/US 'Great Lakes').
'f'+'a'+'erie'='FAERIE'

'is' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for faerie that I've seen before include "Imaginary land; Spenser's Queene" , "The land of the little people" , "purveyor of magic" , "The . . . . . . Queen (Spenser)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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