Crossword Genius

Women change, becoming male (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

walter

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'male' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are singular nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'women change' is the wordplay.
'women' becomes 'w' (standard abbreviation).
'change' becomes 'alter' (synonyms).
'w'+'alter'='WALTER'

'becoming' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for walter that I've seen before include "Sir - - Raleigh" , "- Mitty, Thurber's fantasist" , "Elizabethan navigator" , "Sir - Scott; - de la Mare" , "Bruno --;-- Mitty" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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