### Clue: Father crossing river on small piece of furniture is certain to succeed (4-4)
### Answer: SURE-FIRE 
 ### Explanation: Definition: is certain to succeed
 SIRE(Father, as a noun, the male parent usually of a horse or other domestic animal, and, as a verb, to procreate as the male partner) **containing**(crossing) [URE(the river in N. Yorkshire, England, which becomes the Ouse further downstream) **plus**(on) F(initial letter,small piece
of furniture)].