Publication is by a girl (5)

I believe the answer is:

issue

'publication' is the definition.
(I know that publication can be written as issue)

'is by a girl' is the wordplay.
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'a girl' becomes 'sue' (girl's name).
'is'+'sue'='ISSUE'

(Other definitions for issue that I've seen before include "Offspring; publish" , "Children; put out" , "Children, offspring" , "important point" , "Problem < children" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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