Cryptic crossword clue
Record shows spy chief is caught without up-to-date papers 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word MINIDISC

M
I
N
I
D
I
S
C

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Record" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case record = minidisc.
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 MINIDISC mean?

MINIDISC noun
  1. A disc/disk in MiniDisc format
  2. A minidisc player or recorder.

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