Initial letters clues

Take the first letter of each word in a phrase and they spell the answer. Occasionally it's the last letters instead.

How to spot one

• Look for 'initially', 'at first', 'leaders', 'heads' or 'starts'.
• Count the words after the indicator: there's one word per answer letter.
• 'Finally', 'ultimately' or 'ends' point to last letters.
• The surface often reads a little too long or too carefully worded.

Common indicators

initially, at first, first of, leaders, leaders of, heads, heads of, starts, starters, openings, originally, at the outset, primarily, finally, ultimately, ends of, tails, in the end, lastly

Examples

• Side's leaders: the eleven and manager (4)
• Stop! Heads of houses are losing tempers (4)
• Bold: at first, bears rarely attack visiting explorers (5)
• Digits finally get into these shoes (4)
• Initially, rain in valleys eventually reaches Thames, perhaps (5)
• Primarily, sunshine makes it lovely everywhere — beam! (5)