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Cancel whole stretches of history, the ultimate in woke (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

erase

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'cancel whole' is the definition.
'erase' can be an answer for 'cancel' (erasing is a kind of cancelling). I am not certain of the 'whole' bit.

'stretches of history the ultimate in woke' is the wordplay.
'stretches of history' becomes 'eras' (I've seen this in another clue).
'the ultimate in' indicates one should take the final letters (take the ultimate ie last letter).
The final letter of 'woke' is 'e'.
'eras'+'e'='ERASE'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for erase that I've seen before include "Blank out" , "Clear" , "score" , "Do away with" , "Scratch" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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