Difference (8)
'difference' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for contrast that I've seen before include "Difference in comparison" , "Degree of difference in colour tones" , "Disparity" , "No tracts by way of difference" , "Distinction" .)
'difference' is the definition.
(I know that variance is a type of difference)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for variance that I've seen before include "Dissension" , "Change" , "Difference, discrepancy" , "Discrepancy, divergence" , "Not the main attraction" .)
(Other definitions for same that I've seen before include "uniform" , "Identical, unchanged" , "Aforesaid" , "Equal in amount or value" , "Identical, not different" .)