Cryptic crossword clue
Test for a beginner using ‘If’ — poem’s bit far out? 7,2,4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 plus 2 plus 4 letter word BAPTISM OF FIRE

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
B
A
P
T
I
S
M
O
F
F
I
R
E

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Test for a beginner" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case test for a beginner = baptism of fire.
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.

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