Crossword Genius

Phantom hog distressed university student (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ghoul

'phantom' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Evil phantom ' mean 'ghoul' so perhaps 'phantom' could also mean 'ghoul')

'hog distressed university student' is the wordplay.
'distressed' indicates anagramming the letters.
'university' becomes 'U' (abbreviation for university).
'student' becomes 'L' (as in L-plates for learner drivers).
'hog' anagrammed gives 'gho'.
'gho'+'u'+'l'='GHOUL'

(Other definitions for ghoul that I've seen before include "Gruesome fiend" , "Morbid type" , "Morbid voyeur" , "Spectre, fiend" , "Evil presence" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Express.
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.