Crossword Genius

Willing to embrace popular tomboy (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

gamine

'tomboy' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'willing to embrace popular' is the wordplay.
'willing' becomes 'game' (I've seen this before).
'to embrace' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'popular' becomes 'in'.
'game' placed around 'in' is 'GAMINE'.

(Other definitions for gamine that I've seen before include "petite French girl?" , "A girl with mischievous charm" , "Boyish girl" , "Tomboy" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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