Crossword Genius

Call for no tricks as the motorway dried up (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

misere

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'call for no tricks as' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I can't tell whether it can be defined by this definition.

'motorway dried up' is the wordplay.
'motorway' becomes 'MI' (resembles M1, English motorway).
'dried up' becomes 'sere' (I've seen this before).
'mi'+'sere'='MISERE'

'the' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for misere that I've seen before include "Taking no tricks" , "Card-player's call" , "undertaking to take no tricks" , "Solo whist no-tricks bid" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.
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