Crossword Genius

Want to put a blemish on a large town (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

scarcity

'want' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'a blemish on a large town' is the wordplay.
'a blemish' becomes 'scar' (I've seen this in another clue).
'on' says to put letters next to each other (in a down clue, letters appear on others).
'a large town' becomes 'city' (a city is a large settlement).
'scar'+'city'='SCARCITY'

'to put' is the link.

(Other definitions for scarcity that I've seen before include "Want" , "Thinness" , "Something uncommon" , "Inadequate supply" , "Poverty" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.