Strand during winter, say

ICE IN

Think of what might form on a rope or hair when temperatures drop below freezing, combining a frozen state with a common preposition.

Strand during winter, say" plays on two meanings of "strand." First, it hints at a literal strand—like a thin strip or fiber—here represented by "ICE" (a frozen strand you might see in winter). The "in" part is a sneaky addition, turning "ICE" into "ICE IN" (as in "ice in a drink" or "ice in the river"), which fits the clue’s phrasing. The "say" signals this isn’t the only possible interpretation, but the wordplay leans on the double meaning of "strand" as both a noun and something that can be stranded (though that’s not the focus here).