The term 'DURING, QUAINTLY' can be solved by the crossword clue 'WHILST' (6 letters). The word 'WHILST' is an archaic form of the word 'WHILE', which is a conjunction used to indicate that something is happening at the same time as something else. It is often used to describe a situation in which two events are occurring simultaneously, or one event is happening during another. In this case, the phrase 'during, quaintly' is referring to something that is happening at the same time as something else, but in a more old-fashioned or traditional way.