Related Clues:

• Legal excuses
• Excuses from suspects
• ''The dog ate my homework'' and the like
• Some witnesses
• Columbo heard a lot of them
• "Where were you on the night of" stories
• Defendants' spouses, sometimes
• Whodunit elements
• Perps need good ones
• Suspects' defenses
• Suspects' excuses
• "I was at my girlfriend's at the time," and others
• Con man's excuses
• Trial excuses
• They're useful to have if accused of crimes