Crossword Genius

Fugitive better protected by witness after heading for Egypt (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

escapee

'fugitive' is the definition.
(escapee is a kind of fugitive)

'better protected by witness after heading for egypt' is the wordplay.
'better' becomes 'cap' (I've seen this in other clues).
'protected by' is an insertion indicator.
'witness' becomes 'see' (synonyms).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'heading for' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'egypt' is 'e'.
'cap' put into 'see' is 'scapee'.
'scapee' after 'e' is 'ESCAPEE'.

(Other definitions for escapee that I've seen before include "Runaway" , "prisoner on the loose" , "One getting away" , "Absconder, fugitive" , "One who's broken out of confinement" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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