Maybe PC engineer snapping leads makes do (5)

I believe the answer is:

copes

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'makes do' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'maybe pc engineer snapping leads' is the wordplay.
'maybe' becomes 'co' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'leads' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'pc engineer snapping' is 'pes'.
'co'+'pes'='COPES'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for copes that I've seen before include "Manages successfully, gets by" , "Manages; church vestments" , "Somehow manages" , "'Manages, gets by (5)'" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Express.

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