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Even publicity can love and kiss a puzzle (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

paradox

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'a puzzle' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'even publicity can love and kiss' is the wordplay.
'even' becomes 'par' (I've seen this in other clues).
'publicity' becomes 'ad' (short for advert).
'can love' becomes 'o' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'kiss' becomes 'x' (X can represent a kiss).
'par'+'ad'+'o'+'x'='PARADOX'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for paradox that I've seen before include "Seeming contradiction" , "self-contradiction" , "Absurd or self-contradictory statement" , "A seemingly contradictory statement" , "Statement that seems contradictory but expresses truth" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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