Solution for 1 May cryptic crossword clue

Stand in pub drinking last of wine (4)

Solution – Bear

If you can “bear” something you can “stand” it – so that is one half of the clue.

Another word for pub is “bar” – but the answer is “bear” – what “drinking last of wine” means is that the last letter of “wine” ie “e” is put into “bar” so you get “bear”.

I like the way the whole clue could be read to be about someone just standing in a bar drinking.  Clever.

This is an example of a container clue.  For a more detailed discussion of container clues, click here