Crossword Genius

Almost doesn't start in good time (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

early

'in good time' is the definition.
(being early is arriving in good time)

'almost doesn't start' is the wordplay.
'almost' becomes 'nearly' ('nearly' can be a synonym of 'almost').
'doesn't start' means to remove the first letter.
'nearly' with its first letter removed is 'EARLY'.

(Other definitions for early that I've seen before include "New-season" , "Infancy, when Wordsworth had 5 across of 5 down" , "with time to spare?" , "Before the usual time" , "Premature" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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