Possible Clues:

• A small opening I reportedly must have allowed
• Small hole for rope
• Little hole for little 16 down, by the sound of it
• Hole in shoe through which lace passes
• Sounds as if there's little of this little hole in the water
• The first person, say, to rent out a hole
• Hole through which lace passes
• A lace is passed through it
• Small hole through which a cord is passed
• Hole for shoelace - reinforcing ring