Crossword Genius

Play for a drink on the street (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

strum

'play' is the definition.
(I know that play is the is a more specific form of the action of strum.)

'drink on the street' is the wordplay.
'drink' becomes 'rum' (rum is a kind of drink).
'on' says to put letters next to each other.
'the street' becomes 'st' (abbreviation).
'rum' after 'st' is 'STRUM'.

'for a' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for strum that I've seen before include "Casually play (a guitar)" , "Plays guitar" , "Sweepingly sound guitar strings" , "Play with sweeps of fingers" , "Play idly on guitar etc" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent, The Globe and Mail and The Irish News.
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