Cryptic crossword clue
Trembled outside close to collapse after son confessed 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word SQUEAKED

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

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

SQUEAKED verb
  1. To emit a short, high-pitched sound.
  2. To inform, to squeal.
  3. To speak or sound in a high-pitched manner.
  4. (games) To empty the pile of 13 cards a player deals to oneself in the card game of the same name.
  5. To win or progress by a narrow margin.

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