Assigning grade to impress bureaucrat in Galway (6)
I believe the answer is:
rating
'assigning' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to thinking as well as being present participle verbs.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'grade to impress bureaucrat in galway' is the wordplay.
'RATING' is hidden in amongst the letters.
However, I am uncertain how this is indicated.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for rating that I've seen before include "Non-commissioned sailor - classification" , "Valuation" , "Grade or assessment" , "Classification assigned to person as, say, for income" , "Grading or ranking" .)