The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word IMITATION
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
I
M
I
T
A
T
I
O
N
More clues leading to the result IMITATION
- Restriction initially withdrawn for take-off
- Bogus check allowing fifty to escape
- Check, having lost top copy
- Taking off restraint, initially discarded
- Sham check on budget Left and Right blocked
- Fake barrier doesn’t open
- Poor substitute shows weakness, missing header
- Check, having lost original copy
- Check abandoned line for cod
- Ersatz topless bar
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Poor substitute" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case poor substitute = imitation.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 IMITATION mean?
IMITATION noun- The act of imitating.
- (attributive) A copy or simulation; something that is not the real thing.