Crossword Genius

Firm head welcoming youth leader’s modesty (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

coyness

'modesty' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'firm head welcoming youth leader's' is the wordplay.
'firm' becomes 'co' (a firm is a company).
'head' becomes 'ness' (ness is a headland).
'welcoming' means one lot of letters goes inside another (in sense of 'inviting in').
'youth leader' becomes 'y' (I've seen this in other clues).
'co'+'ness'='coness'
'coness' enclosing 'y' is 'COYNESS'.

(Other definitions for coyness that I've seen before include "Demureness" , "Affected modesty" , "Arch reticence" , "Pretended modesty" , "Shyness" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sunday Times.
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