Crossword Genius

Layman’s first attempt to embrace trendy language (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

lingo

'language' is the definition.
(informal term for language)

'layman's first attempt to embrace trendy' is the wordplay.
'layman's first' becomes 'l' (1st letter of 'layman').
'attempt' becomes 'go' (go is a kind of attempt).
'to embrace' indicates putting letters inside.
'trendy' becomes 'in' ('in' can mean fashionable).
'l'+'go'='lgo'
'lgo' enclosing 'in' is 'LINGO'.

(Other definitions for lingo that I've seen before include "Parlance" , "speech" , "Vernacular" , "special words" , "Jargon, foreign language (informal)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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