Cryptic crossword clue
Male parent cracking and failing as a leader

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word HEADMAN

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
H
E
A
D
M
A
N

Buddy explains!

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

HEADMAN noun
  1. The person in charge of an organization, clan, tribe, or other group.
  2. The leader of a village.
HEADMAN noun
  1. Headmaster

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