Cryptic code is cracked by detective in stages (8)
I believe the answer is:
episodic
'cryptic code is cracked by detective in stages' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.
'cryptic code is cracked by detective' is the wordplay.
'cryptic' is an anagram indicator (a cryptic or obscure order of the letters).
'cracked by' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters go into a gap or crack).
'detective' becomes 'pi' (private investigator).
'code'+'is'='codeis'
'codeis' is an anagram of 'esodic'.
'esodic' enclosing 'pi' is 'EPISODIC'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for episodic that I've seen before include "Occurring irregularly - is copied accordingly" , "Is copied in irregular occurrence" , "Occurring at irregular intervals" , "Arranged as a series of incidents" , "Divided into tenuously related parts" .)