Ball

GALA

Think of a glamorous event where people dress up, not a sport—this four-letter word fits both a celebration and a spherical fruit.

Ball" here isn’t about sports—it’s a fancy party or formal dance, often called a gala. The wordplay relies on the double meaning of "ball," where one definition (the event) replaces the more obvious one (the round object). Think of charity galas or black-tie balls, where "gala" fits perfectly as a synonym. It’s a classic crossword trick using alternate definitions to mislead at first glance.