Crossword Genius

Being out of the wood, we'd cleaned up (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

washed

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'cleaned up' is the definition.
'washed' can be an answer for 'cleaned' (washing is a kind of cleaning). I'm unsure of the 'up' bit.

'being out of the wood we'd' is the wordplay.
'being out of' means one lot of letters goes inside another (some letters on the outside of others).
'the wood' becomes 'ash' (wood from an ash tree).
'ash' put inside 'wed' is 'WASHED'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for washed that I've seen before include "free of sin" , "Cleaned with liquid" , "Wall up; imprison" , "Cleaned with water" , "Laundered" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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