Paper transformed by spies into fake review (12)
I believe the answer is:
appreciation
'review' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'paper transformed by spies into fake' is the wordplay.
'transformed' is an anagram indicator.
'by' says to put letters next to each other.
'spies' becomes 'CIA' (Central Intelligence Agency).
'fake' is an anagram indicator.
'paper' anagrammed gives 'appre'.
'into' with letters rearranged gives 'tion'.
'appre'+'cia'+'tion'='APPRECIATION'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for appreciation that I've seen before include "recognition" , "Gratitude; increase in value" , "Rise" , "It is shown by applause" , "An expression of gratitude" .)