Crossword Genius

Ignoring the odds, finches followed calf (3,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ice floe

'calf' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

'ignoring the odds finches followed' is the wordplay.
'ignoring the odds' means one should take alternating letters (letters in odd-numbered positions are removed).
'finches'+'followed'='finchesfollowed'
The alternating letters of 'finchesfollowed' are 'ICE-FLOE'.

(Other definitions for ice floe that I've seen before include "Large sheet of frozen water" , "Large frozen sheet floating at sea" , "Hazard to shipping" , "Cold sheet" , "Frozen floating object" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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