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Scratching head, man needs expert tips on a fabric (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

taffeta

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'a fabric' is the definition.
(taffeta is a kind of fabric)

'scratching head man needs expert tips on' is the wordplay.
'scratching head' means to remove the first letter (the word\'s head is removed).
'man' becomes 'staff' (both can mean to work at a particular post).
'needs expert tips' becomes 'eta' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'on' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'staff' with its first letter taken away is 'taff'.
'taff'+'eta'='TAFFETA'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for taffeta that I've seen before include "Lustrous silky fabric" , "Stiff shiny material" , "Fabric -- a fat eft (anag)" , "it has a fine texture" , "cloth" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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