Crossword Genius

Hardly bringing ton up (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

not

'hardly' is the definition.

'ton up' is the wordplay.
'up' says the letters should be written backwards (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'ton' written backwards gives 'NOT'.

'bringing' is the link.

(Other definitions for not that I've seen before include "Negation of what follows" , "logically, operation needed" , "Having close-cut hair" , "It negates a word" , "In no way, never" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.
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