Crossword Genius

Spread deal out after mother has to provide weapons (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

marmalade

'spread' is the definition.
(I know that marmalade is a type of spread)

'deal out after mother has to provide weapons' is the wordplay.
'out' indicates anagramming the letters (out can mean wrong or inaccurate).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'mother' becomes 'ma' (ma can mean mother).
'has' is an insertion indicator.
'to provide weapons' becomes 'arm' (I've seen this in another clue).
'deal' with letters rearranged gives 'lade'.
'lade' after 'ma' is 'malade'.
'malade' placed around 'arm' is 'MARMALADE'.

(Other definitions for marmalade that I've seen before include "Eleven's [PRESERVE]" , "Breakfast preserve" , "Spread" , "Kind of cat" , "Sweet food" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Express.
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