First - Blue-ribbon First - Historic event First - Unprecedented First - Foremost's partner First - One for the history books First - Start of many instructions First - End of the response First - Where the u.n. is in manhattan, with 27-across First - To begin with First - On top First - Ahead of the pack First - Leading the pack First - Blue-ribbon position First - Mark mcgwire's position First - See 53-across First - In the lead First - Initial First - Successful finish First - Guinness adjective First - Low grade? First - 'to begin with …' First - Before the rest First - Original First - Leading First - Foremost partner First - Due date for many bills First - Winning position First - Leading the league First - Maiden First - 'for starters ...' First - Who's base First - Who's there, in a bit First - "before anything else ..." First - "before anything else . . ." First - Ahead of the rest First - Word before and after 'things' First - Leader's position First - "for starters ..." First - Who's on it First - Opposite of 36-across First - Gold-medal position First - Preceding all others First - Gold medalist's place First - Primary First - Primordial First - Primarily First - Trees start to give it a start First - Conifer street is before you get to 1 across First - Rifts of supreme sort First - The one that precedes all others, in time say First - Shift position? First - 'tree at the top of the street, perhaps (5)' First - The tree is over the road, but not for a second First - Blue-ribbon place First - Safety ___ First - At the head of the line First - Billing date First - Climbing gear? First - No. 1 conifer street First - Here there's little time for trees ... First - The rock of 'rock, paper, scissors' keeps right on top First - Original trees at forest's end First - University degree for head First - Following irish saint at the outset First - Method used in elections First - Premier (except in football!) First - Premier First - 'eclipse _____ ... First - Position for gold First - Prime First - Highest degree First - See 1 First - Top of trees, top of trees First - Top prize First - Rifts (anag) First - Of historical importance First - What lou gehrig played First - With 38-across, preemptive attack First - Before all others First - Place to walk to First - Top degree class First - & 2 early new year arrivals bringing good luck First - Before all else First - Fail resits regularly: no hope of this? First - Top university degree First - In winning position, grabbing rook? First - Pre-eminent First - Foremost First - Earliest; good degree First - Like lord archer's eponymous character (inter pares) First - Combination of wood and stone is best First - Fail resit? here are the odds, to begin with First - King imprisoned by duke at the outset First - Foremost duke entertaining king First - Earliest First - Solzhenitsyn's sort of circle First - Fail resits, regularly taken to get good degree First - Placing of the winner may create rifts First - Top spot First - No 1, deal street First - Degree to which trees start to tremble First - The christmas tree, by the way, is second to none First - Folded, fits right inside, to start with First - Stir-frying half, chopped up beforehand First - Earliest bothersome strife curtailed First - & 26 down stuck in this, rosberg�s foremost gifts are wasted First - 'trees' has t at the front First - And 16: initial opportunity for buyer flashing rare fistfuls First - Winning punch is about right First - Christmas tree on the way, second to none First - Preliminary First - Tree on the way ahead First - Leading position of trees by edge of track First - Word with rate, aid or class First - Tree planted in front of street, originally First - Earliest; degree First - Degree award for trees on edge of forest First - It's never been done before First - Destination 90 feet from home First - Word that can precede each half of each starred clue's answer First - Original academic degree First - 'that's a ___!' First - I First - Who's position, in a comedy routine First - Who's there First - Walk destination First - Word that may precede the initial parts of 17- and 62-across and 9- and 33-down First - Stone found below tree tops