The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word COWLICK
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
C
O
W
L
I
C
K
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Tuft of hair" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case tuft of hair = cowlick.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does COWLICK mean?
COWLICK noun- An unruly lock or section of hair that sticks straight out from the skull or lies at an angle at odds with the rest of an individual's hair, like a whorl or vortex.