Echelons

TIERS

Think of the levels in a wedding cake or the different ranks in a competition structure.

"Echelons" refers to levels or ranks in a hierarchy, which is exactly what "tiers" means too. The clue plays on the synonym relationship—both words describe layered structures, like steps in an organization or a pyramid. It’s a straightforward definition with no hidden wordplay, just a direct match between the clue and answer.