Unprepared setter's going to crack into deep cryptic (3-8)
I believe the answer is:
ill-equipped
'unprepared' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'setter's going to crack into deep cryptic' is the wordplay.
'setter's going to' becomes 'ill' (I'll as in 'I will').
'crack' becomes 'quip' (both can mean a joke).
'into' is an insertion indicator.
'cryptic' indicates an anagram (a cryptic or obscure order of the letters).
'deep' is an anagram of 'eped'.
'quip' put into 'eped' is 'equipped'.
'ill'+'equipped'='ILL-EQUIPPED'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ill-equipped that I've seen before include "Without the necessary resources for the task" , "Without proper kit" .)