Crossword Genius

Uncovered more steps to secure home rule (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ordinance

'rule' is the definition.
(ordinance is a kind of rule)

'uncovered more steps to secure home' is the wordplay.
'uncovered' says to take the centre.
'steps' becomes 'dance' ('dance step' can be a synonym of 'step').
'to secure' is an insertion indicator.
'home' becomes 'in' ('he's home' can mean 'he's in').
The middle of 'more' is 'or'.
'dance' placed around 'in' is 'dinance'.
'or'+'dinance'='ORDINANCE'

(Other definitions for ordinance that I've seen before include "Bye-law of a city government" , "Regulation" , "Command" , "practice" , "Rule" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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