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Seasonal symbol offers reason to eat greedily (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

groundhog

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'seasonal symbol' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't understand how one could define the other.

'reason to eat greedily' is the wordplay.
'reason' becomes 'ground' (synonyms).
'to eat greedily' becomes 'hog' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'ground'+'hog'='GROUNDHOG'

'offers' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for groundhog that I've seen before include "rodent" , "Woodchuck" , "US native" , "Burrowing animal" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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