Crossword Genius

Want touch of romance in the end (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

dearth

'want' is the definition.
(both can mean a lack or scarcity)

'touch of romance in the end' is the wordplay.
'touch of' indicates taking the first letters.
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'the end' becomes 'death' (the end of a life).
The first letter of 'romance' is 'r'.
'r' put within 'death' is 'DEARTH'.

(Other definitions for dearth that I've seen before include "From shortage of food" , "Acute shortage" , "Scarcity - lack" , "Hatred (anag) -- shortage" , "Shortage, paucity" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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