Cryptic crossword clue
Fall in research gets worse again

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word RELAPSES

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
R
E
L
A
P
S
E
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "gets worse again" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case gets worse again = relapses.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does RELAPSES mean?

RELAPSES verb
  1. To fall back again; to slide or turn back into a former state or practice.
  2. (of a disease) To recur; to worsen, be aggravated (after a period of improvement).
  3. To slip or slide back physically; to turn back.

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