New record over cracking intelligence puzzle (7)
I believe the answer is:
nonplus
'puzzle' is the definition.
(I know that puzzle can be written as nonplus)
'new record over cracking intelligence' is the wordplay.
'new record over' becomes 'npl' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'cracking' indicates putting letters inside (inserted letters go into a gap or crack).
'intelligence' becomes 'nous' (I've seen this before).
'npl' going into 'nous' is 'NONPLUS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for nonplus that I've seen before include "stump" , "Perplex, confound" , "Disconcert, confound" , "nothing if not negative?" , "Get flummoxed" .)