| FALSEPRETENCES | Deception of criminals taking in prelates abroad (5,9) |
| THEFT | A criminal's taking offence! (5) |
| FLORENCE | Criminal taking in brother in Tuscan city |
| CALEDONIAN | Scottish criminal taking in Welshman - and fellow Scot, perhaps? |
| CARDINALNUMBER | Possibly one prelate getting less responsive (8,6) |
| FRAUD | Criminal deception of an artist in a bit of a fuddle |
| CONVALESCENT | Recuperating criminal taking fragrant air of glen? |
| LARCENIST | Criminal taking fat cut is in the money (9) |
| COINAGE | Tender criminal taking one in over a long time (7) |
| TROJANHORSE | Deception of Raj, or honest deception? (6,5) |
| SLEIGHT | Deception of heartless lie, in a sense |
| CARDINAL | From Latin for "hinge", a senior RC priest, regarded as of pivotal importance, on which everything else turns; or, a fritillary butterfly, redbird or shade of scarlet, in a hue reminiscent of said pre |
| PROMOTE | Encourage leader of prelates with holy books in pilgrimage site (7) |
| INTIMATE | Thick criminal taking that thing back (8) |
| SAFECRACKER | Criminal taking no risks with explosive device |
| KIDNAPPER | Criminal taking fish, breaking and entering |
| ROOK | Criminal, taking front off castle (4) |
| PSYCHOPATH | Spy criminal taking hack at hotel? Norman Bates, perhaps |
| ALARMING | Worrying criminal taking up weapons (8) |
| DETERMINED | Met deride criminal taking on new firm |
