Cryptic crossword clue
Leading musician’s mother engaged by detective in raillery 10

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word BANDMASTER

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

The straight part
We know that "Leading musician" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case leading musician = bandmaster.
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 BANDMASTER mean?

BANDMASTER noun
  1. The conductor of a musical ensemble, especially a brass or military band.

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