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Tough sort, and hurt badly (7)

Ross

I think it could be either:

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7

4,3

hard nut

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'tough' is the definition.
(hard nut can mean a tough person)

'sort and hurt badly' is the wordplay.
'and hurt' anagrams to 'HARD NUT'.
Though, I am not clear how the anagram is indicated.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for hard nut that I've seen before include "It takes some cracking" , "A violent criminal" , "Tough person" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun.
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