A party in difficulty (3)
I believe the answer is:
ado
'difficulty' is the definition.
(ado is bother or difficulty)
'a party' is the wordplay.
'party' becomes 'do' (do is a kind of party).
'a'+'do'='ADO'
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for ado that I've seen before include "Fuss or bustle" , "Goings-on" , "carry-on" , "'Much ... About Nothing, Shakespeare play (3)'" , "Flurry" .)