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A great thing to put first into a stocking (3,3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

big toe

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'a stocking' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are singular nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?

'a great thing to put first' is the wordplay.
'a great' becomes 'big' (I've seen this in another clue).
'thing' becomes 'e' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'put first' says to put letters next to each other.
'e' put after 'to' is 'toe'.
'big'+'toe'='BIG TOE'

'into' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for big toe that I've seen before include "Largest foot digit" , "Largest pedal extremity" , "Corn grows here" , "that once went to market?" , "member of the body" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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