### Clue: Elders perhaps protect sisters after small hassles (8)
### Answer: STRESSES 
 ### Explanation: Definition: hassles
 [ TREES(examples of which/perhaps are elders) **containing**(protect) SS(abbrev. for "sister" x 2 – as in "nursing sisters in a hospital"? I'm not sure of this. The abbrev. for a sister in a convent is "Sr".) ] **placed below**(after, in a down clue) S(abbrev. for "small").