Prepare a hint, cryptically, for person sure to succeed (4,8)
I believe the answer is:
heir apparent
'person sure to succeed' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'prepare a hint cryptically' is the wordplay.
'cryptically' is an anagram indicator.
'prepare'+'a'+'hint'='prepareahint'
'prepareahint' anagrammed gives 'HEIR-APPARENT'.
'for' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for heir apparent that I've seen before include "successor eventually" , "Next in line to throne" , "Acknowledged beneficiary" , "sure of inheritance" , "One expected to succeed" .)