Crossword Genius

Desperate character, eastern European (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

dane

'european' is the definition.
(someone from Denmark)

'desperate character eastern' is the wordplay.
'desperate character' becomes 'dan' (Desperate Dan the comic character).
'eastern' becomes 'e'.
'dan'+'e'='DANE'

(Other definitions for dane that I've seen before include "Hamlet was one" , "Hamlet, say" , "See 7 Down" , "Native of Copenhagen, for instance" , "Great - - , dog" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun.
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