The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word GLAD-HAND
G
L
A
D
-
H
A
N
D
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Welcome" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case welcome = glad-hand.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 GLAD-HAND mean?
GLAD-HAND verb- To be overly friendly with (a stranger) in order to gain an advantage.
- To extend a glad hand (to someone); to welcome warmly.