| THEFIRST | (and 1 down, 17 down) Proverb reflecting that starting is the most difficult part of any task (3,5) |
| HARDEST | Proverb reflecting that starting is the most difficult part of any task (3,5,4,2,6,3,7) |
| STEPISALWAYSTHE | Proverb reflecting that starting is the most difficult part of any task (3,5,4,2,6,3,7) |
| ATTACK | From "join battle", a word for an assault or onset; by extension, the commencement of any task; or, the offensive part in any game/sport (6) |
| ANGKORWAT | Cambodian officials announced last month that starting in 2020, tourists will no longer be able to take elephant rides at this temple complex |
| SEVEREST | Small mountain is the most difficult to conquer |
| ROUGHEST | Twisting horse gut is the most difficult |
| HARDDISK | Kids about difficult part of computer (4,4) |
| GETTINGOVER | Recovering from the most difficult part of a steeplechase(7,4) |
| STIFFEST | Complicated tests if F-graded down must be the most difficult. (8) |
| PETERPAN | Pantomime horse's rear in difficult part, writer has admitted (5,3) |
| THROUGH | Having got to the end of most of the difficult part of course (7) |
| ITTAKESA | (and 3 down, 17 down and 19 down) Proverb suggesting that an entire community helps in a young person's upbringing (2,5,1) |
| HEREBYME | Lonely 3 Doors Down "Seventeen Days" song? |
| EASTTOWN | & 1 Across: 2021 crime drama series starring 7 Down, 17 Down, 22 Down and 27 Down (4,2,8) |
| HUMP | Most difficult part |
| RETRORSE | Error set 18 1 down 17 (8) |
| HARDLINER | Difficult part of speech, right, for politician |
| JAWBREAKER | Judge has wrongdoer beheaded: difficult part of sentence to pronounce |
| THROUGHOUT | You'll have time to cover difficult part of course completely |
