Cryptic crossword clue
In island country group in retreat broods 9

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

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
I
N
C
U
B
A
T
E
S

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "broods" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case broods = incubates.
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 INCUBATES mean?

INCUBATES verb
  1. To brood, raise, or maintain eggs, organisms, or living tissue through the provision of ideal environmental conditions.
  2. To incubate metaphorically; to ponder an idea slowly and deliberately as if in preparation for hatching it.

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