Excuse for failure (coll.) (5)

I believe the answer is:

alibi

(Other definitions for alibi that I've seen before include "Defence against accusation - was seen elsewhere at the time" , "Defence against accusation - was somewhere else" , "can offer a valid defence against most charges" , "Claim put to court" , "Defence in court" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.