Issue 1479 of The Week has a cryptic crossword which begins with a classic case of double definition.
It’s always helpful to find a cryptic clue which suggests a very limited number of possible solutions. In this case, if we posit that the answer is a month, then we only have one of twelve to choose from. And, incidentally, only one of those has six letters: AUGUST.
The cryptic element is that August (or Auguste) is also a type of circus clown. Were you fooled?