Strange mystery about maiden's correspondence (8)
I believe the answer is:
symmetry
'correspondence' is the definition.
(I know that correspondence can be written as symmetry)
'strange mystery about maiden's' is the wordplay.
'strange' is an anagram indicator.
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'maiden' becomes 'm' (cricket abbreviation).
'mystery' anagrammed gives 'symetry'.
'symetry' going around 'm' is 'SYMMETRY'.
(Other definitions for symmetry that I've seen before include "Arrangement of parts in pleasing proportions" , "Mirrored disposition about axis" , "Pleasing proportion of the parts of a thing" , "shapely attribute" , "Pleasing proportion between parts of a whole" .)