Punishment of old thief busted with boxsets (3,2,3,4)
I believe the answer is:
six of the best
'punishment of old' is the definition.
'six of the best' can be an answer for 'punishment' (I've seen this before). I am not certain of the 'of old' bit.
'thief busted with boxsets' is the wordplay.
'busted with' indicates an anagram.
'thief' anagrammed with 'boxsets' gives 'SIX OF THE BEST'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for six of the best that I've seen before include "A beating (colloq.)" , "What a volleyball team selector might choose" , "Corporal punishment - a caning" , "A very tidy over" , "Some near the top of the class" .)