Crossword Genius

Shade MC after midnight (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ghost

'shade' is the definition.
(shade can mean a ghost)

'mc after midnight' is the wordplay.
'mc' becomes 'host' (I've seen this before).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'midnight' becomes 'g' (the middle letter in 'night').
'host' after 'g' is 'GHOST'.

(Other definitions for ghost that I've seen before include "Spirit of the dead" , "insubstantial presence" , "give it up" , "Write for another" , "author for someone" .)

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