Crossword Genius

Makeshift post confused boy attendant briefly erected (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

stopgap

'makeshift' is the definition.
(I know that makeshift can be written as stopgap)

'post confused boy attendant briefly erected' is the wordplay.
'confused' is an anagram indicator.
'boy attendant' becomes 'page' (page can mean a boy servant).
'briefly' means to remove the last letter.
'erected' says the letters should be written in reverse (in a down clue, letters go up).
'page' with its last letter taken away is 'pag'.
'pag' backwards is 'gap'.
'post' is an anagram of 'stop'.
'stop'+'gap'='STOPGAP'

(Other definitions for stopgap that I've seen before include "A temporary or impromptu substitute" , "caretaker" , "Interim" , "Temporary expedient" , "Temporary fix" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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