Possible Clues:

• Bid in solo whist
• Call during play originally mounted by French department
• Undertaking to take no tricks in a card game
• Solo whist no-tricks bid
• Scrooge meets his end -- no tricks here
• Solo whist bid
• No tricks, that's a promise
• This call only is put through
• Not a tricky call?
• One's immersed in water - there's no trick in it