Cryptic crossword's primarily composition to occupy target (7)
I believe the answer is:
encoded
'cryptic' is the definition.
The answer and definition are not the same part of speech. However, adjectives and past participle verbs occasionally mean the same thing.
'crossword's primarily composition to occupy target' is the wordplay.
'primarily' indicates taking the first letters.
'composition' becomes 'ode' (I've seen this before).
'to occupy' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters occupy or enter the word).
'target' becomes 'end' (end can mean one's purpose or goal).
The first letter of 'crosswords' is 'c'.
'c'+'ode'='code'
'code' going within 'end' is 'ENCODED'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for encoded that I've seen before include "as secrets are dispatched?" , "In cryptic version" , "Deed con (anag.)" , "formed in a difficult-to-understand way" .)