Crossword Genius

Evil One stopping poet's game (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

billiards

'game' is the definition.
(billiards is a kind of game)

'evil one stopping poet's' is the wordplay.
'evil' becomes 'ill' (I've seen this in other clues**).
'one' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral).
'stopping' indicates putting letters inside (stopping can mean blocking a gap).
'poet's' becomes 'bards' (bard is a kind of poet).
'ill'+'i'='illi'
'illi' put inside 'bards' is 'BILLIARDS'.

(Other definitions for billiards that I've seen before include "Game played with balls on table with pockets" , "Table game at which Mary Queen of Scots excelled" , "Ball game" , "Game with three balls" , "Indoor sport" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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