The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word ANAGLYPH
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "relief work of sorts" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case relief work of sorts = anaglyph.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 ANAGLYPH mean?
ANAGLYPH noun- A decorative ornament worked in low relief or bas relief, such as a piece of cameo jewelry.
- A matched pair of images designed to produce a three-dimensional effect when viewed using spectacles that have usually one red and one bluish-green lens, corresponding to the colors of the pairs of images.