Crossword Genius

Warm female in a tale by Aesop? (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

affable

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'warm female' is the definition.
'affable' can be an answer for 'warm' (I've seen this in another clue). I am not sure about the 'female' bit.

'in a tale by aesop?' is the wordplay.
'in' is an insertion indicator.
'tale' becomes 'fable' (I have seen 'Moral tale' mean 'fable' so perhaps 'tale' could also mean 'fable').
'by aesop?' becomes 'f' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'a'+'fable'='afable'
'afable' going around 'f' is 'AFFABLE'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for affable that I've seen before include "Amiable, genial" , "Pleasant to talk to" , "Genial and friendly" , "Pleasantly friendly" , "Congenial, easy to walk" .)

I've seen this clue in The Sun.
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