See nothing overcoming intelligence (4)

I believe the answer is:

loaf

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'overcoming intelligence' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'see nothing' is the wordplay.
'see' becomes 'lo' ('lo' is an archaic exclamation meaning 'look!').
'nothing' becomes 'af' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'lo'+'af'='LOAF'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for loaf that I've seen before include "Mass of bread" , "BRINK/BRICK" , "sense" , "cottage?" , "Bread; loiter" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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