Starts to see phantom, true ghost from the past (7)
I believe the answer is:
spright
'ghost from the past' is the definition.
(archaic term for a spirit)
'starts to see phantom true' is the wordplay.
'starts to' indicates taking the first letters.
'true' becomes 'right' (associated in meaning).
The first letters of 'see phantom' is 'sp'.
'sp'+'right'='SPRIGHT'
I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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