Why Financial Times gets free publicity in crosswords of other papers

The standard abbreviation for Financial Times is FT, an extremely wordplay-friendly acronym. So it follows that some other papers have more references to Financial Times in their crosswords than their own selves. The same good fortune does not fall to the lot of publications with acronyms like NYT, or with names that do not have multiple meanings.

Here are a few clues from other papers that, when they say 'paper' or 'newspaper', mean FT:

Times 24446: Article printed by newspaper about tax aimed against criminals (9) ANTITHEFT
AN (article) FT (newspaper), about TITHE (tax)

Independent 7355 (Anax): Shuffle papers, say, back into paper (6) FIDGET
papers (ID) + EG (say) reversed, in FT (paper)

Guardian 25056 (Paul): Paperback in row which comes to a head? (6) TITFER
FT (paper) reversed, in TIER (row). TITFER is rhyming slang for 'hat', from 'tit-for-tat'.

THC (Gridman): Meaning, the doctor has one U.K. newspaper (5) DRIFT
DR (doctor) I (one) FT (U.K. newspaper)

Indian newspapers have wordplay-amenable acronyms too - ET, HT, TOI. Strangely, these aren't made as much use of even in THC. I have only seen Gridman refer to other Indian papers in his clues. Some of Gridman's clues with other paper references:

Party got together by two Indian newspapers back to back (4) FETE
The woman is with The Economic Times, the paper (5) SHEET
Wire a Kolkata newspaper (9) TELEGRAPH
Diversions in old man's newspaper (8) PASTIMES

In the entire set of Gridman's clues, ET, Telegraph and Times have been used more often than The Hindu.

The Pink Link

Financial Times is pink in colour. This attribute is put to play too in cryptic clues.

Times 24219: Provider of bouquet primate wrapped in pink paper (7) FLORIST
LORIS (primate) in FT (pink paper)

Times 24309: Sort of official report that’s eschewed by the FT (5,5)  WHITE PAPER d&cd
A white paper is a type of official report, and is eschewed by the FT since FT is a pink paper, not a white one.

Times 23969: Notice girl's dressed in pink daily, being a follower of fashion (7) FADDIST
AD (notice) DI'S (girl's), in FT (pink daily) 

Solve These

Two clues, one easy the other tough, both using the paper = FT connection.

Times 24444: Paper's entertaining star feature (5)
From Times Crossword Championship 2008: Close this works daily? Not if this is used (5-5) N _ _ _ _ – _ _ _ _ T

Tailpiece

In a nice case of reversal, Financial Times carried this clue once:

FT 13322 (Crux): Guardian's leading story Times initially rejected (9) C _ _ _ _ _ _ _ E

Answer, anyone?
Update (11-Sep-2010): See the comments for answers.

Related Posts:

• Times Crossword syndicated in Hindustan Times
• How to access the Economic Times crossword online
• Mint crossword: Wordview

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