Cover, of a sort

The answer to the crossword question “Cover, of a sort is ALIBI” is the word “alibi.” An alibi is a defense used in court to show that the person accused of a crime was elsewhere at the time the crime occurred. It can also be used more generally to refer to any excuse or explanation used to avoid blame or responsibility for a particular action or event. In this context, the word “cover” is being used figuratively to mean a way of concealing or hiding one’s involvement in something, and the word “sort” is being used to suggest that an alibi is not a perfect or foolproof way of providing cover, but rather just one option among many.