Cryptic crossword clue
Initial pain merrily dealt with 11

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word PRELIMINARY

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
P
R
E
L
I
M
I
N
A
R
Y

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Initial" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case initial = preliminary.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does PRELIMINARY mean?

PRELIMINARY noun
  1. A preparation for a main matter; an introduction.
  2. Any of a series of sports events that determine the finalists
  3. A relatively minor contest that precedes a major one, especially in boxing
PRELIMINARY adjective
  1. In preparation for the main matter; initial, introductory, preparatory.

Latest crossword clues with full explanations