Crossword Genius

Remains sceptical, initially, about tax cut? On the contrary (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

dust

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'remains' is the definition.
(dust can mean a person's remains)

'sceptical initially about tax cut? on the contrary' is the wordplay.
'sceptical initially about tax cut?' becomes 'sud' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'on' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'the' becomes 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects).
'contrary' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'sud' put after 't' is 'tsud'.
'tsud' backwards is 'DUST'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for dust that I've seen before include "Do some housework - we all come to it!" , "Fine powdery material that can be blown about in the air" , "Clean; fine powder" , "Tiny particles of dirt, skin flakes etc" , "Our mortal body" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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