Crossword Genius

Don't succeed in making female suffer (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

fail

'don't succeed' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'female suffer' is the wordplay.
'female' becomes 'f' (common abbreviation).
'suffer' becomes 'ail' (ailing is a kind of suffering).
'f'+'ail'='FAIL'

'in making' is the link.

(Other definitions for fail that I've seen before include "Be unsuccessful, say in exam" , "Run out; flop" , "Be unable to achieve one's object" , "collapse" , "Fall short" .)

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