MAXON by Schadenfreude

Puzzle explanation

The grid represents a snooker table with the white (cue ball), nine reds and the six colours still in play. Letters from clues gave “the first twelve pots; forty-eight”, referring to the score so far in a partial break when the first six reds have been potted with six blacks, so that a maximum break of 147 is possible, ie, “max on”. Highlighting of either the full clashing cells or circles inside them (to represent the balls) was accepted.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra letter Answer Explanation
Across
1 (T)his WHISPERERS W + HIS + PER + ER + (trap)S
6 (H)ad DAY BED (AD + B + DYE) *
11 h(E)at RUTILE UR < + TILE
13 (F)lashes EYELID homophone of EYE + L + ID
14 fa(I)r SADAT (A + D + AS) < + T
15 line(R) RULER RUE around L + R
16 (S)wine SLACKENED SACK around L + NEED *
17 spoil(T) PIECE PIE + CE
18 s(T)aying DROWNER (RE + N + WORD) <; ref. Jean Baptiste Carrier (see “noyade” in Chambers)
20 vie(W) RÊVEUR RE + VIE − I + U + R
21 not(E) ONORA OR around NO + A
22 (L)and DIAN AID < + ’N’
23 se(V)en SENGREENS SEN + G + R + SEEN *
24 L(E)ast ENDOSS END + (OS around ’S)
25 (P)ending DECEASES DEC + (SEES + A) *
Down
1 s(O)on TEESSIDE TEE + S + DIES *
2 Midge(T) PURÉE URE in P(alatabl)E; ref. Midge Ure
3 section(S) EDITRESS (complet)E + DISTRESS − S
4   REVERED D after REVERE; ref. Paul Revere
5 sa(F)e SEEDCASE SEE + CD < + SAE *
6 (O)ur DOUBLURE DOUBLE around UR
7 sola(R) ALL DONE LD in ALONE
8 s(T)ack’s BLOWED BED around LOW
9 the(Y) EIDERS DER in EIS
10 comb(E) RED CEDARS (D in ACRES *) after RED
11 ru(I)ng RABBIN BAR < + BIN
12 (G)old LINK-UPS LINK + UPS
19 t(H)ree BROGS G(antry) in SORB <
20 Face(T) DARE 2 meanings
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