Crossword Genius

Bear black disaster (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

bruin

'bear' is the definition.
(bruin is a kind of bear)

'black disaster' is the wordplay.
'black' becomes 'b' (as in pencil classifications).
'disaster' becomes 'ruin' (ruin can mean disaster or catastrophe).
'b'+'ruin'='BRUIN'

(Other definitions for bruin that I've seen before include "Conventional name for a bear" , "Archetypal name for a bear" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.