Crossword Genius

Defence playing worst during time off (10)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

breastwork

'defence' is the definition.
(breastwork is a kind of defence)

'playing worst during time off' is the wordplay.
'playing' indicates an anagram.
'during' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'time off' becomes 'break' (eg a break from work).
'worst' anagrammed gives 'stwor'.
'stwor' put inside 'break' is 'BREASTWORK'.

(Another definition for breastwork that I've seen is " Fortification".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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