What flipping blockhead put in order for Murdoch publication? (3,4)
I believe the answer is:
the bell
'murdoch publication?' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'what flipping blockhead put in order' is the wordplay.
'what' becomes 'eh' (sound used to ask 'what?' or 'pardon?').
'flipping' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'blockhead' becomes 'b' (head letter of 'block').
'put in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'order' becomes 'tell' (as in ordering or telling someone to do something).
'eh' reversed gives 'he'.
'he'+'b'='heb'
'heb' placed within 'tell' is 'THE BELL'.
'for' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for the bell that I've seen before include "tale by Murdoch" , "Murdoch novel" , "Iris Murdoch story" , "Murdoch publication" , "English novel" .)