Crossword Genius

A runner up the pole? (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

bean

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'a runner' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both plants as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?

'up the pole?' is the wordplay.
'up' becomes 'bea' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'the pole?' becomes 'n' (abbreviation for North, as in North Pole).
'bea'+'n'='BEAN'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for bean that I've seen before include "It's often baked" , "Vegetable; head" , "coffee, perhaps" , "Kidney-shaped seed as for coffee" , "kept by the counter?" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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