Crossword Genius

Tie French plaits up originally (2,3,5,5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

in the first place

'originally' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'tie french plaits up' is the wordplay.
'up' is an anagram indicator (letters get chucked up).
'tie'+'french'+'plaits'='tiefrenchplaits'
'tiefrenchplaits' with letters rearranged gives 'IN THE FIRST PLACE'.

(Other definitions for in the first place that I've seen before include "Where Adam and Eve lived" , "Initially" , "Where Adam and Eve sinned" , "Where the winner would be" , "for a start" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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