Crossword Genius

Winner to embrace old French writer (6,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

victor hugo

'french writer' is the definition.
(19th-century French novelist)

'winner to embrace old' is the wordplay.
'winner' becomes 'victor' (synonyms).
'to embrace' becomes 'hug' ('hug' can be a synonym of 'embrace').
'old' becomes 'o' (common abbreviation eg in OE for Old English).
'victor'+'hug'+'o'='VICTOR HUGO'

(Other definitions for victor hugo that I've seen before include "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame author" , "writer" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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