The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word REBUSES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
R
E
B
U
S
E
S
More clues leading to the result REBUSES
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Cryptic puzzles" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case cryptic puzzles = rebuses.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does REBUSES mean?
REBUSES noun- A kind of word puzzle which uses pictures to represent words or parts of words.
- A pictorial suggestion on a coat of arms of the name of the person to whom it belongs.