Grey areas he never grasped (5)

I believe the answer is:

ashen

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

'areas he never grasped' is the wordplay.
'grasped' indicates a hidden word (I've seen 'grasps' mean this).
'ASHEN' is hidden within 'areas he never'.

(Other definitions for ashen that I've seen before include "Grey in colour" , "Deathly pale" , "Shane (anag.)" , "White-faced" , "Wan - wooden - pallid" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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