Crossword Genius

Trouble initially stopping, cut back and left (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

parted

'left' is the definition.
(parting is a kind of leaving)

'trouble initially stopping cut back' is the wordplay.
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
'stopping' indicates putting letters inside (inserted letters stop or plug a gap).
'cut back' becomes 'pared' (to pare something back is to cut it back).
The first letter of 'trouble' is 't'.
't' placed into 'pared' is 'PARTED'.

'and' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for parted that I've seen before include "Divided or went separate ways" , "left" , "Divided, broken" , "Divided and said goodbye" , "Divided or separated" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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