Crossword Genius

Very different energy and skill required by staff (5,5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

poles apart

'very different' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'energy and skill required by staff' is the wordplay.
'energy' becomes 'sap' (I've seen this before).
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'skill' becomes 'art' (I've seen this before).
'required by' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'staff' becomes 'pole' (I've seen this before).
'sap' put next to 'art' is 'sapart'.
'sapart' put after 'pole' is 'POLES APART'.

(Other definitions for poles apart that I've seen before include "far away from each other?" , "Having widely divergent opinions" , "widely separated" , "Completely different" , "some Europeans?" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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