Crossword Genius

Acceptable to tidy, as food left? (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

uneaten

'as food left?' is the definition.
(food that has been left or not eaten)

'acceptable to tidy' is the wordplay.
'acceptable' becomes 'u' (as in U and non-U speech).
'to tidy' becomes 'neaten' ('neaten' can be a synonym of 'tidy').
'u'+'neaten'='UNEATEN'

(Other definitions for uneaten that I've seen before include "Not taken in" , "Left on the plate" , "Left after dinner" , "still on the table?" , "Make an outline of" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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