Try to follow hint of short cut (5)
I believe the answer is:
shear
'cut' is the definition.
(shearing is a kind of cutting)
'try to follow hint of short' is the wordplay.
'try' becomes 'hear' (as in to try someone in court or hear their case).
'to follow' says to put letters next to each other.
'hint of' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'short' is 's'.
'hear' put after 's' is 'SHEAR'.
(Other definitions for shear that I've seen before include "strain" , "Cutter" , "Remove a fleece" , "Cut with clippers" , "Remove sheep's wool" .)