Break down when director is lost for answer (5)
I believe the answer is:
solve
'answer' is the definition.
(I know that answer is a more specific form of the action solve)
'break down when director is lost' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'when' could be 'e' (I've seen this in other clues) and 'e' is found within the answer.
'lost' could be 'l' (abbreviation in sporting league tables) and 'l' is present in the answer.
The remaining letters 'sov' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'for' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for solve that I've seen before include "Clear up a mystery" , "Find the 3dn to a mystery" , "Find the answer to this clue, for instance" , "Work out (a clue)" , "Figure out the answer" .)