Crossword Genius

There's not even a chance this could pass for prickly pears (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

cacti

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

'prickly pears' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'there's not even a chance this could pass' is the wordplay.
'there's' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'not even' means one should take alternating letters (remove even-numbered letters).
'this could pass' becomes 'ti' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
The alternate letters of 'chance' are 'cac'.
'cac' put next to 'ti' is 'CACTI'.

'for' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for cacti that I've seen before include "Leafless succulents" , "Features of westerns" , "Prickly types" , "Tough plants" , "Prickly plants" .)

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