Crossword Genius

Flat tyre's front supports separate pieces (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

apartment

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

'flat' is the definition.
(I know that flat can be written as apartment)

'tyre's front supports separate pieces' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'separate' could be 'apart' (similar in meaning) and 'apart' is located in the answer.
'pieces' could be 'men' (man can mean a chess piece) and 'men' is located in the answer.
A single letter 't' remains which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for apartment that I've seen before include "Room ? flat" , "19 across" , "Suite of rooms to live in" , "Set of rooms or American flat" , "Flat (chiefly US)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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