Crossword Genius

Secret drinker last to rise in Morecambe? (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

esoteric

'secret' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)

'drinker last to rise in morecambe?' is the wordplay.
'drinker' becomes 'sot' (sot is a kind of drinker).
'last to' suggests the final letters.
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'morecambe?' becomes 'eric' (comedian Eric Morecambe).
The last letter of 'rise' is 'e'.
'sot'+'e'='sote'
'sote' placed into 'eric' is 'ESOTERIC'.

(Other definitions for esoteric that I've seen before include "Secret, mysterious" , "hidden" , "Mysterious to all but a chosen few" , "Understood by only a few people" , "Arcane -- coteries (anag)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent and The Sun.
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