Major e-tailing season

XMAS

["Here’s a helpful hint for the clue **\"Major e-tailing season\"** with the answer **\"XMAS\"**:\n\n**\"This festive time of year is a big deal for online shoppers—just drop the 'e' and think of the season's shorthand.\"**\n\nThis hint:\n- References the holiday shopping season without naming it directly.\n- Nudges the solver toward the abbreviation (\"shorthand\") and the wordplay on \"e-tailing\" (suggesting removing the \"e\").\n- Keeps it easier than the original clue while still requiring a small leap of logic."]

The clue **"Major e-tailing season"** leads to the answer **"XMAS"** through the following breakdown: 1. **"Major"** – In the context of seasons or holidays, "major" can refer to something significant or widely celebrated. Here, it hints at a well-known holiday. 2. **"E-tailing"** – This is a play on words. "E-tailing" sounds like "retailing" but with an "e-" prefix, commonly associated with "electronic" (e.g., e-commerce). However, it also phonetically resembles **"etailing" as in "etail"**—the end or tail of a word. 3. **"Season"** – This suggests a time of year, particularly a holiday season. Putting it together: - The **"etail"** (end) of the word **"eXMAS"** is **"MAS"**, but the clue is hinting at the abbreviation **"XMAS"** (Christmas). - **"Major season"** points to **Christmas**, a major holiday. - The **"e-"** prefix subtly reinforces the modern, electronic shopping aspect of the holiday season (e-tailing = online retail during Christmas). Thus, the answer is **"XMAS"**, a common abbreviation for Christmas, fitting both the holiday reference and the wordplay on "e-tailing."