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Finish off ale in time, for a change (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

eliminate

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'finish' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to change as well as being verbs in their base form.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'ale in time for a change' is the wordplay.
'for a change' indicates anagramming the letters.
'ale'+'in'+'time'='aleintime'
'aleintime' anagrammed gives 'ELIMINATE'.

'off' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for eliminate that I've seen before include "defeat" , "Take out" , "Remove from contention" , "Annihilate" , "Wipe out" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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