Crossword Genius

Hopes to get a steeple on Sunday (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

aspires

'hopes' is the definition.
(to aspire to something is to hope for it)

'a steeple on sunday' is the wordplay.
'steeple' becomes 'spire' (synonyms).
'on' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'sunday' becomes 's'.
'a'+'spire'+'s'='ASPIRES'

'to get' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for aspires that I've seen before include "dreams" , "Has an ambitious plan" , "aims high" , "Hopes" , "Has ambition to" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.
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