One had a kind of confrontation (4-2)
I believe the answer is:
head-on
'confrontation' is the definition.
(I have seen 'direct confrontation' mean 'head on' so perhaps 'confrontation' could also mean 'head on')
'one had a kind of' is the wordplay.
'a kind of' indicates an anagram.
'one'+'had'='onehad'
'onehad' with letters rearranged gives 'HEAD-ON'.
(Other definitions for head-on that I've seen before include "Of car crash, full frontal" , "In direct confrontation" , "(Of crash) involving the front of vehicle)" , "Frontal, collision say" , "In direct opposition" .)