Crossword Genius

Met criminal godfather, admitting hesitation (11)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

forgathered

'met' is the definition.
('forgather' can be a synonym of 'meet')

'criminal godfather admitting hesitation' is the wordplay.
'criminal' indicates anagramming the letters.
'admitting' is an insertion indicator (admit can mean to welcome in or accept).
'hesitation' becomes 'er' (sound made while hesitating - um, er).
'godfather' with letters rearranged gives 'forgathed'.
'forgathed' enclosing 'er' is 'FORGATHERED'.

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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