Crossword Genius

Pick number up ahead (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

onward

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

'ahead' is the definition.
(I know that ahead can be written as onward)

'pick number up' is the wordplay.
'pick' becomes 'draw' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'number' becomes 'no' (abbreviation for 'number').
'up' says the letters should be written backwards (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'draw'+'no'='drawno'
'drawno' written backwards gives 'ONWARD'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for onward that I've seen before include "Advance, Christian soldiers, marching as to war" , "progressive" , "Advance like Christian soldiers" , "Advanced" , "With advancing motion" .)

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