Crossword Genius

Cover up a case of these and expand (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

dilate

'expand' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'cover up a case of these' is the wordplay.
'cover' becomes 'lid' (lid is a kind of cover**).
'up' says the letters should be written backwards (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'case of' means to remove the middle letters (outsides of).
'these' with its centre removed is 'te'.
'lid' written backwards gives 'dil'.
'dil'+'a'+'te'='DILATE'

'and' is the link.

(Other definitions for dilate that I've seen before include "Swell" , "Expand in detail" , "Widen, spread out" , "Widen as eyes may" , "Enlarge - detail (anag)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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