Cryptic crossword clue
Child has grand liking for such gentle treatment 3-5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word KID-GLOVE

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
K
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "gentle treatment" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case gentle treatment = kid-glove.
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 KID-GLOVE mean?

KID-GLOVE verb
  1. To treat mildly.
KID-GLOVE adjective
  1. Marked by extreme care or sensitivity.

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