Crossword Genius

Left Marie Celeste? (9,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

abandoned ship

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'celeste?' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?

'left marie' is the wordplay.
'left' becomes 'abandoned' (abandoning is a kind of leaving).
'marie' becomes 'ship' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'abandoned'+'ship'='ABANDONED SHIP'

Can you help me to learn more?

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

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