Abstract: A method and an apparatus for adapting a locally-generated clock having an arbitrary phase relation to a plesiochronous data signal in which further clocks are derived from the clock via a delay line chain in such a fashion that a clock sequence having identical phase spacings is produced. These clocks are clocked by the data signal in edge-triggered D-flip-flops. The difference between the logical states of the Q outputs of two neighboring D-flip-flops provides a preselection of the best-adapted clock. Proceeding from the Q outputs and Q outputs of the D-flip-flops and the non-inverting and inverting outputs of a plurality of amplifiers, a gate arrangement connects an optimally-adapted clock to a clock output. A data signal is delayed in a delay unit by the time that the selection of the optimally-adapted clock requires. This then clocks the delayed data signal in an edge-triggered D-flip-flop.