Crossword Genius

One should hear pins drop in these places (7,6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

bowling alleys

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

'places' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are plural nouns, I cannot understand how they can define each other.

'one should hear pins drop in these' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'one' could be 'o' (I've seen this in other clues) and 'o' is found in the answer.
'in' is found in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for bowling alleys that I've seen is " Sports venues".)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.