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Nippy, while temperature beyond freezing, initially (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

fast

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'nippy' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'while temperature beyond freezing initially' is the wordplay.
'while' becomes 'as' (eg 'while I walked' means 'as I walked').
'temperature' becomes 't' (abbreviation).
'beyond' says to put letters next to each other.
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'freezing' is 'f'.
'as'+'t'='ast'
'ast' put after 'f' is 'FAST'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for fast that I've seen before include "not lento" , "Abstain from eating" , "At high speed" , "Quick - don't eat" , "Starve; quick" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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