Crossword Genius

Offensive racket about old Frenchman (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

noisome

'offensive' is the definition.
(I know that offensive can be written as noisome)

'racket about old frenchman' is the wordplay.
'racket' becomes 'noise' (racket can mean a loud noise).
'about' is an insertion indicator.
'old' becomes 'o' (common abbreviation eg in OE for Old English).
'frenchman' becomes 'M' (abbreviation for Monsieur - like 'Mr').
'o'+'m'='om'
'noise' placed around 'om' is 'NOISOME'.

(Other definitions for noisome that I've seen before include "Having an extremely offensive smell" , "Nauseating" , "Obnoxious" , "Repellent" , "Disgusting to sight or smell" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.
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