Crossword Genius

Wipe exterior of shoe covering smell (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

sponge

'wipe' is the definition.
(sponging is a kind of wiping)

'exterior of shoe covering smell' is the wordplay.
'exterior of' means to remove the middle letters.
'covering' is an insertion indicator.
'smell' becomes 'pong' (I've seen this before).
'shoe' with its centre removed is 'se'.
'se' going around 'pong' is 'SPONGE'.

(Other definitions for sponge that I've seen before include "Bum - cleaner" , "Porous substance to absorb liquid" , "Absorbing" , "Cadger" , "that lives in the sea" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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