The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word LOOPHOLE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
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More clues leading to the result LOOPHOLE
- John and Henry admitted to Bar, providing legal oversight
- Toilet staff adopting hot water escape mechanism
- Game European astride horse making unplanned escape
- John and Rod retain hot lawyer, to find this?
- Means of escaping the office post husband’s trapped in
- Sneaky way out of swimming baths back to house on banks of lake
- Way out of wind tunnel
- Way out with triumphal expression after toilet at the local
- What it’s possible to get through when there’s difficulty?
- See work difficulty as means of escape
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "unplanned escape" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case unplanned escape = loophole.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 LOOPHOLE mean?
LOOPHOLE noun- A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light.
- A method of escape, especially an ambiguity or exception in a rule or law that can be exploited in order to avoid its effect.
- To prepare a building for defense by preparing slits or holes through which to fire on attackers
- To exploit (a law, etc.) by means of loopholes.