Crossword Genius

Colour of small runabout on lease? (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

scarlet

'colour' is the definition.
(scarlet is a kind of colour)

'small runabout on lease?' is the wordplay.
'small' becomes 's' (abbreviation - e.g. clothes size).
'runabout' becomes 'car'.
'on' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'lease?' becomes 'let' ('let' can be a synonym of 'lease').
's'+'car'+'let'='SCARLET'

'of' is the link.

(Other definitions for scarlet that I've seen before include "Brilliant red colour" , "Shade of red" , "Vivid red" , "Cartels (anag.)" , "Clarets (anag.)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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