Crossword Genius

Stair hamsters perhaps will climb (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

step

'stair' is the definition.
(I know that stair can be written as step)

'hamsters perhaps will climb' is the wordplay.
'hamsters perhaps' becomes 'pets'.
'will climb' is a reversal indicator (down clues going up).
'pets' back-to-front is 'STEP'.

(Other definitions for step that I've seen before include "Ladder rung; pace" , "short distance" , "Place foot on as with a pest" , "Pace - part of a procedure" , "Put foot on a pest" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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