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Left craft area, group's outside finished with it (9,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

abandoned ship

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'left craft' is the definition.
'abandoned ship' can be an answer for 'craft' (abandoned ship is a kind of craft). I'm unsure of the 'left' bit.

'area group's outside finished with it' is the wordplay.
'area group' becomes 'abands' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'outside' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'finished' becomes 'done' (both can mean completed).
'with it' becomes 'hip' (I've seen this in another clue).
'abands' enclosing 'done' is 'abandoneds'.
'abandoneds'+'hip'='ABANDONED SHIP'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for abandoned ship that I've seen before include "Took to the lifeboats" , "Hurriedly left an organisation or enterprise" , "left failing organisation" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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