Hopeless album not damaged in cover (14)

I believe the answer is:

insurmountable

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'hopeless' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'album not damaged in cover' is the wordplay.
'damaged' is an anagram indicator.
'in' indicates putting letters inside.
'cover' becomes 'insure' (synonyms).
'album'+'not'='albumnot'
'albumnot' is an anagram of 'mountabl'.
'mountabl' going inside 'insure' is 'INSURMOUNTABLE'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for insurmountable that I've seen is " Too great to be overcome".)

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

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