Crossword Genius

Spurning love, copies ancient king (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

xerxes

'ancient king' is the definition.
(ancient Persian king)

'spurning love copies' is the wordplay.
'spurning' suggests deleting specific letters.
'love' becomes 'o' (love means zero in tennis).
'copies' becomes 'xeroxes' (Xerox can mean to copy with a Xerox machine).
'xeroxes' with 'o' taken away is 'XERXES'.

(Other definitions for xerxes that I've seen before include "Name of ancient Persian kings" , "------I, son of Darius I, attempted invader of Greece, 480-79 BC" , "King of Persia, son of Darius" , "Persian king, son of Darius (bridge of boats)" , "Ancient Persian king" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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