Cryptic crossword clue
Beating leader of thieves doing his business behind hotel 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word THROBBING

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Beating" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case beating = throbbing.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does THROBBING mean?

THROBBING verb
  1. To pound or beat rapidly or violently.
  2. To vibrate or pulsate with a steady rhythm.
  3. (of a body part) To pulse (often painfully) in time with the circulation of blood.
THROBBING noun
  1. That which throbs.
THROBBING adjective
  1. Beating or pounding strongly.

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