10 across Serious student left overcoat in A & E A?S?E?E Is it AUSTERE - but why? 17 across African ruminants avoid colonist and run away E?O?E Is it ELOPS but again, why?
An overcoat is an Ulster and a student is a learner which is shortened to l. Remove the l from Ulster and then put uster in A & E thus getting Austere. An African ruminant is an antelope and a colonist is an ant. Take ant from antelope and you are left with the answer elope which means to run away.
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