Crossword Genius

Enormous insect covering a small distance (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

mammoth

'enormous' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'insect covering a small distance' is the wordplay.
'insect' becomes 'moth' (moth is a kind of insect).
'covering' is an insertion indicator.
'small distance' becomes 'mm' (abbreviation for millimetre).
'a'+'mm'='amm'
'moth' enclosing 'amm' is 'MAMMOTH'.

(Other definitions for mammoth that I've seen before include "Extinct woolly creature" , "Prehistoric woolly elephant" , "Large extinct beast" , "Extinct species of elephant" , "Enormous" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun and The Telegraph.
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.