Crossword Genius

Nothing left at home? Quite the reverse (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

nil

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'nothing' is the definition.
(eg nil is zero in football)

'left at home? quite the reverse' is the wordplay.
'left' becomes 'l' (common abbreviation).
'at' says to put letters next to each other.
'home? quite' becomes 'in' ('he's home' can mean 'he's in'. I am not sure about the 'quite' bit.).
'the reverse' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'l'+'in'='lin'
'lin' written backwards gives 'NIL'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for nil that I've seen before include "Don't despair - . . . desperandum" , "Nothing, zilch" , "Nothing found in senility" , "Zero, zilch" , "Nothing, no value" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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