Crossword Genius

Leaves spread out, covering the table-top (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

departs

'leaves' is the definition.
(departing is a kind of leaving)

'spread out covering the table-top' is the wordplay.
'out' indicates anagramming the letters (out can mean wrong or inaccurate).
'covering' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'the table-top' becomes 't' (top of the word 'table-').
'spread' anagrammed gives 'depars'.
'depars' placed around 't' is 'DEPARTS'.

(Other definitions for departs that I've seen before include "Goes away" , "Goes, leaves" , "Does runner" , "Quits" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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