The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word MISSES
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
M
I
S
S
E
S
Buddy explains!

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 MISSES mean?
MISSES noun- A failure to hit.
- A failure to obtain or accomplish.
- An act of avoidance (used with the verb give).
- The situation where an item is not found in a cache and therefore needs to be explicitly loaded.
- To fail to hit.
- To fail to achieve or attain.
- To avoid; to escape.
- To become aware of the loss or absence of; to feel the want or need of, sometimes with regret.
- To fail to understand; to have a shortcoming of perception; overlook.
- To fail to attend.
- To be late for something (a means of transportation, a deadline, etc.).
- To be wanting; to lack something that should be present.
- (said of a card) To fail to help the hand of a player.
- To fail to score (a goal).
- To go wrong; to err.
- To be absent, deficient, or wanting.
- A title of respect for a young woman (usually unmarried) with or without a name used.
- An unmarried woman; a girl.
- A kept woman; a mistress.
- In the game of three-card loo, an extra hand, dealt on the table, which may be substituted for the hand dealt to a player.
- Wife or girlfriend.
- Term of address for a woman.