What does the cryptic crossword clue "Sailor robbed saint, reportedly — part of explosive mixture (9)" mean?

The definition is "part of explosive mixture". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). SALT (synonym="‘sailor’") + PETRE (synonym="PETRE") = SALTPETRE; definition: "part of explosive mixture" The answer is SALTPETRE.

Sailor robbed saint, reportedly — part of explosive mixture (9)

Guardian Cryptic #29118 | 18 Across | 2023-07-10 flower

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