High on the Scoville scale

HOT

This three-letter word describes both spicy peppers and summer temperatures.

The Scoville scale measures how spicy a pepper is, so something "high on the Scoville scale" means it’s very hot or fiery. Here, "hot" isn’t just about temperature—it’s about the burning sensation from spicy food. The clue plays on the double meaning of "hot" to keep it simple and direct.