Crossword Genius

Put mares out towards spring. perhaps (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

upstream

'towards spring perhaps' is the definition.
(heading towards a spring or stream)

'put mares out' is the wordplay.
'out' indicates an anagram (out can mean wrong or inaccurate).
'put'+'mares'='putmares'
'putmares' with letters rearranged gives 'UPSTREAM'.

(Other definitions for upstream that I've seen before include "at an earlier stage in process" , "Towards (river's) source" , "Facing current" , "away from estuary?" , "opposing current tendencies" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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