Crossword Genius

Left a clean plate at the dump, occasionally (3,2)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ate up

'left a clean plate' is the definition.

'at the dump occasionally' is the wordplay.
'occasionally' means one should take alternating letters.
'at'+'the'+'dump'='atthedump'
The alternate letters of 'atthedump' are 'ATE UP'.

(Other definitions for ate up that I've seen before include "Squandered" , "preoccupied" , "Absorbed" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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