Pot Plant by Karla

Puzzle explanation

The eight colours of balls in snooker, including red and white, were removed from answers and the remaining word was entered in the grid. Letters omitted from wordplay in other clues formed ONE FOUR SEVEN, ie 147, the highest possible break in snooker (without the advantage of a foul stroke by the opponent). The numbers of the entries with colours removed also added up to 147. CLUE TIPS was highlighted in the grid, referring to the “advice” in the preamble, then L erased to leave CUE TIPS.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer (unclued part) Explanation
Across
1 STYMIE STYE around M1
5 EVOLV(E) E(lectric) + VOLV(o)
10 COHABITEE COOEE with HABIT for O
12 (O)LDIE DIE after L
13 (BLUE)PRINTS approximate homophone of PRINCE
15 RAP SHEET (PAST HERE) *
17 (F)TSE T(homas) S(tearns) E(liot)
18 BYR(E) B(od)Y + R
20 SPENT FORCE (SENT + FORCE) around P
23 REGISTRANT (GRANT TRIES) *
26 (U)NST ST after N
27 (WHITE) FLAG FLAG
30 STATURES (U + R) in STATES
33 (BROWN)SHIRTS SHIFTS with R for F
34 TABO(O) BOAT *
35 (R)EITERATE TIE < + E + RATE
36 DRYING (Laun)DRY IN G(uesthouse)
37 SYDNEY S(cotland) + YD + YEN <
Down
1 SCOFF S + C + OFF
2 TO LET TO + LET
3 (BLACK)MAIL MAIL
4 EID AL-FITR (ALI FRIED) * around T(his)
6 (V)ERSER R after ERSE
7 (RED) LINE LINE(n)
8 VETERA(N) VET + ERA
9 (E)ASTER ASTER
11 (GREEN) BERET B + ERE + (cen)T(ury)
14 USER(S) USHER − H
16 PROSPECTS PRO + SPECS around T
19 YEALM MALE * after (heft)Y
21 (PINK) PANTHER PANT + HER
22 FUSSED ((Lour)DES SUF(ferers)) <
24 GLUTE(N) GLUTE
25 TASTE S in TATE
28 AZOTE (m)A(i)Z(e) O(a)T(i)E(r)
29 GOOEY GOY around OE
31 AIRY DAIRY − D
32 (YELLOW) CARD CARD
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