In difficulties, mixing up spread and shred (4-7)
I believe the answer is:
hard-pressed
'in difficulties' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'mixing up spread and shred' is the subsidiary indication.
'mixing up' indicates an anagram.
'and' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other) (I've seen this in other clues).
'spread' after 'shred' is 'shredspread'.
'shredspread' anagrammed gives 'hardpressed'.
(Other definitions for hard-pressed that I've seen before include "In difficulties or tension" , "Closely pursued; in difficulties" .)