Crossword Genius

Climber, perhaps one following main course to summit, shortly (5,3)

Ross

I think it could be either:

Which length description are you looking for?:

8

5,3

sweet pea

'climber' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'one following main course to summit shortly' is the wordplay.
'one following' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'main course' becomes 'sweet' (sweet can mean a dessert or pudding).
'to summit' becomes 'peak' (mountain peak).
'shortly' means to remove the last letter.
'peak' with its last letter taken off is 'pea'.
'sweet'+'pea' is 'SWEET PEA'.

'perhaps' is the link.

(Other definitions for sweet pea that I've seen before include "Eat, weeps and gets climbing flowers" , "Climbing plant with fragrant flowers" , "Perfumed climber" , "Climbing plant with pastel-coloured flowers" , "Pew tease (anag) - flower" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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