Lay to rest strange cases for one new breach in rules? (11)
I believe the answer is:
interregnum
'breach in rules?' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how they can define each other.
'lay to rest strange cases for one new' is the wordplay.
'lay to rest' becomes 'inter' (synonyms).
'strange' becomes 'rum' (similar in meaning).
'cases' means one lot of letters goes inside another (forms a case around).
'for one' becomes 'eg' (both can mean 'for example').
'new' becomes 'n' (common abbreviation eg NT for New Testament).
'eg'+'n'='egn'
'rum' placed around 'egn' is 'regnum'.
'inter'+'regnum'='INTERREGNUM'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for interregnum that I've seen before include "when throne is unoccupied" , "Period between successive reigns" , "Gap at the top" , "Leaderless period" , "Period between rules" .)