The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word CORONA
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
C
O
R
O
N
A
More clues leading to the result CORONA
- Cap of cerulean and gold on a crown
- Study leading to answer about golden solar gases
- Big Smoke firm acting to stop gunmen
- Exclamation of surprise on getting a vision during eclipse
- Trick by one stealing gold crown
- Men taken in by trick article in part of The Sun’s coverage
- Ring around sun –
- Trumpet playing drowned by cor anglais, initially
- Girl ringing about ring
- Solar feature firm on entering sun
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Ring around sun" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case ring around sun = corona.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CORONA mean?
CORONA noun- The luminous plasma atmosphere of the Sun or other star, extending millions of kilometres into space, most easily seen during a total solar eclipse.
- A circle or set of circles visible around a bright celestial object, especially the Sun or the Moon, attributable to an optical phenomenon produced by the diffraction of its light by small water droplets or tiny ice crystals.
- (by extension) Any luminous or crownlike ring around an object or person.
- A luminous appearance caused by corona discharge, often seen as a bluish glow in the air adjacent to pointed metal conductors carrying high voltages.
- The large, flat, projecting member of a cornice which crowns the entablature, situated above the bed moulding and below the cymatium.
- A large, round pendent chandelier, with spikes around its upper rim to hold candles or lamps, usually hung from the roof of a church.
- A crown or garland bestowed among the Romans as a reward for distinguished services.
- Any appendage of an organism that resembles a crown or corona.
- An upper or crownlike portion of certain parts of the body.
- A manifestation of secondary syphilis, consisting of papular lesions along the hairline, often bordering the scalp in the manner of a crown.
- An oval-shaped astrogeological feature, present on both the planet Venus and Uranus's moon Miranda, probably formed by upwellings of warm material below the surface.
- A mineral zone, consisting of one or more minerals, which surrounds another mineral or lies at the interface of two minerals, typically in a radial arrangement; a reaction rim.
- To surround with a luminous or crownlike ring as if by the solar corona.
- A coronavirus, especially SARS-CoV-2.
- A coronavirus disease, especially COVID-19.
- A series of sonnets linked together in a particular manner.
- A long, straight-sided cigar with a roundly blunt end.