Crossword Genius

Slowly advancing big tank in conflict, favoured to climb in pit (6,4,5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

taking baby steps

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'slowly advancing' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I can't tell whether it can be defined by this definition.

'big tank in conflict favoured to climb in pit' is the wordplay.
'in conflict' indicates anagramming the letters (letters clashing or in conflict with each other).
'favoured' becomes 'pet' (as in a pet project).
'to climb' says the letters should be written backwards (I've seen 'climbing' mean this (in a down clue, letters climb up)).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'pit' becomes 'abyss' (I've seen this in another clue).
'pet' written backwards gives 'tep'.
'tep' placed inside 'abyss' is 'abysteps'.
'big'+'tank'='bigtank'
'bigtank' anagrammed gives 'takingb'.
'takingb'+'abysteps'='TAKING BABY STEPS'

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I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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