Crossword Genius

In spring, say, add some spice (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

season

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'some spice' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'in spring say add' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'say' could be 'as' (I've seen this in other clues) and 'as' is found in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for season that I've seen before include "such as 'Summertime'" , "Period of a year" , "Time of 9" , "Quarter of the year" , "Eg, summer" .)

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