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Combine ice-cream with smooth filling (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

conflate

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'combine' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'ice-cream with smooth filling' is the wordplay.
'ice-cream' becomes 'cone' (I've seen this in other clues).
'with smooth' becomes 'flat' (I've seen this before. I am not sure about the 'with' bit.).
'filling' is an insertion indicator.
'cone' placed around 'flat' is 'CONFLATE'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for conflate that I've seen before include "make one" , "Merge (texts) together" , "Combine together, like two texts into one" , "Combine or blend together, as two texts into one" , "Make combination" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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