Confronts (5,2)
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">confronts</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(taking on is a kind of confronting)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for takes on that I've seen before include "becomes upset" , "Accepts challenge" .)
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">confronts</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">('face up to' can be a synonym of 'confront')</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>