Crossword Genius

Loads of boys have early start (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

lades

'loads' is the definition.
('lade' can be a synonym of 'load')

'boys have early start' is the wordplay.
'boys' becomes 'lads' (lad is a kind of boy).
'have' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'start' says to take the initial letters.
The initial letter of 'early' is 'e'.
'lads' going around 'e' is 'LADES'.

'of' acts as a link.

(Another definition for lades that I've seen is " Loads".)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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