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Cheers with a bit of speculation - figure buffoon's heading for exit? (2,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

so long

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'exit?' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how one could define the other.

I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for so long that I've seen before include "Ta-Ta!" , "Informal goodbye; see you" , "Informal goodbye - protracted?" , "Goodbye (colloq.)" , "Cheerio, bye-bye" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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