Crossword Genius

Unprepared - is daughter going to make excuses? (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

alibis

'excuses?' is the definition.
(alibiing is a kind of excusing)

'unprepared is daughter going' is the wordplay.
'unprepared' becomes 'adlib' ('ad-lib' can be similar in meaning to 'unprepared').
'daughter' becomes 'd'.
'going' is a deletion indicator.
'adlib'+'is'='adlibis'
'adlibis' with 'd' taken away is 'ALIBIS'.

'to make' is the link.

(Other definitions for alibis that I've seen before include "Defences to charges - was elsewhere at the time" , "Defences - was elsewhere at time of crimes" , "They're useful to have if accused of crimes" , "Excuses" , "Defences of being elsewhere at the time of a crime" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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