the beginning crossword clue

 Here are some possible crossword clues for the phrase "the beginning":

5 letters: APEX, ARISE, BIRTH

6 letters: CIVILIZATION, CREATION, EMERGE, ORIGIN

7 letters: BASIS, EMBERS, FORERUNNER, INCEPTION, START

8 letters: EMBRYO, INITIATION, OUTSET, SOURCE

9 letters: BEGINNINGS, GENESIS, OUTBREAK

The specific crossword clue will depend on the other words in the puzzle and the difficulty level. For example, a 5-letter clue for "the beginning" might be "birth," while an 8-letter clue might be "outbreak."

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.