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All completed except one! 12 across. Clue is "Stick to clean joke; time for second" (1-3). I have ? t ? p. Can anyone help?

Q Tip - stick used to clean

Replace second letter in 'Quip' with T (time)

9a Caught, having left company, making illegal copy (5) - CLONE

I read this as C(aught) + L(eft),with the remaining 'ONE' coming from 'Company' - but I can't think of an example where they might be synonyms. Would appreciate help with this.

My take on it is,
"C" for caught, lone meaning having left company?
C lone.
On your lonesome.

Many thanks Rusty, that makes much more sense.

I hope I am correct, Brendan!

Looks spot on to me, well it's how I parsed it too Rusty.

My mistake was getting fixated on 'Left' being L (a deliberate trap, I think, by the setter that I walked straight in to). Thanks again Rusty, thanks Mamya.

Yes, Brendan, a trap by the setter I would say!
And Mamya is in agreement so it is looking good!