| Lardner's "___ Ike" | 33 |
| It might be airtight | 20 |
| It eliminates suspects | 22 |
| It eliminates a suspect | 23 |
| Defense | 7 |
| Court excuse | 12 |
| Accused's excuse | 20 |
| What an accused perpetrator needs | 33 |
| Well-known Ike | 14 |
| Suspect eliminator | 18 |
| Proof of innocence, perhaps | 27 |
| Out, of sorts? | 14 |
| Defense mechanism? | 18 |
| Defendant's out | 19 |
| Defendant's excuse | 22 |
| A suspect's might be suspect | 32 |
| "Perfect murder" component | 36 |
| "I was away on business," e.g. | 40 |
| "I was at work all day," e.g. | 39 |
| "I was at the movies," e.g. | 37 |
| "I was at my friend's all night," e.g. | 52 |
| "I was at home sleeping at the time," e.g. | 52 |
| "I ran out of gas," e.g. | 34 |
| "I had to visit my sick aunt," e.g. | 45 |
| Tall story, often | 17 |
| Suspect's trump card | 24 |
| Suspect's salvation? | 24 |
| Suspect's concern | 21 |
| Suspect's "out" | 29 |
| Subject of corroboration | 24 |
| Seemingly good excuse | 21 |
| Pretext, possibly | 17 |
| Perp's story | 16 |
| Perp's excuse | 17 |
| Perp-to-cop story | 17 |
| Part of a defense | 17 |
| Out lines? | 10 |
| Out for the accused | 19 |
| Out at a trial | 14 |
| One's out | 13 |
| One might not hold up in court | 30 |
| One might be airtight | 21 |
| Make excuses | 12 |
| Literally, "elsewhere" | 32 |
| It could be a strong defense | 28 |
| Innocence indicator | 19 |
| Hood's excuse | 17 |
| Grafton's A | 15 |
| Excuse in court | 15 |
| Excuse in a whodunit | 20 |
| Excuse at court | 15 |
| Exculpatory story | 17 |
| Exculpatory evidence | 20 |
| Defensive story | 15 |
| Defense's focal point | 25 |
| Defense ploy | 12 |
| Defendant's words | 21 |
| Defendant's dodge | 21 |
| Criminal excuse | 15 |
| Crime story? | 12 |
| Courtroom excuse | 16 |
| Airtight story | 14 |
| "I was walking the dog at the time," e.g. | 51 |
| "I was out of town at the time," e.g. | 47 |
| "Airtight" story | 26 |
| ''I was out of town at the time,'' e.g. | 55 |
| ___ Ike | 7 |
| Wrongdoer's excuse | 22 |
| Word meaning "elsewhere" | 34 |
| Whodunit plot line | 18 |
| What a murder suspect needs | 27 |
| Voucher? | 8 |
| Vouch for, perhaps | 18 |
| Trial ploy | 10 |
| Trial excuse | 12 |
| This is sometimes ironclad | 26 |
| Thin Lizzy "Waiting for an ___" | 41 |
| Suspect's best defence | 26 |
| Suspect's "I was home asleep," e.g. | 49 |
| Suspect's "I was home all night," e.g. | 52 |
| Story to verify | 15 |
| Story of a kind | 15 |
| Story including a time and place | 32 |
| Story in a whodunit | 19 |
| Stand out? | 10 |
| Saving yarn? | 12 |
| Ring Lardner's "___ Ike" | 38 |
| Proof of one's where abouts | 31 |
| Proof of innocence, maybe | 25 |
| Pretext, perhaps | 16 |
| Possible proof of innocence | 27 |
| Point in a suspect's favor | 30 |
| Point in a defendant's favor | 32 |
| Plausible excuse | 16 |
| Perp's pretext | 18 |
| Out, at the police station | 26 |
| Out on the stand | 16 |
| Out for a trial | 15 |
| One may be given to a detective | 31 |
| Mystery-story ingredient | 24 |