A common crossword clue answer for "false excuse" is "PRETEXT" or "PRETEXTS" (plural) which means false excuses given to cloak the real state of affairs. Other possible answers related to false excuse include words like "subterfuge," "flimsy excuse," "specious excuse," or "ostensible reason," but the most likely answer for a typical crossword clue with 7 or 8 letters is "PRETEXT" or "PRETEXTS".
