| FIDEI | The F of FD on British coins - Defender of the Faith |
| DEFENSOR | Latin term for Defender of the Faith, abbreviated to F.D. on British coins (5,8) |
| REGINA | The Queen is Latin, as shortly appears on British coins (6) |
| LEOX | Pope who bestowed the title of Defender of the Faith on Henry VIII |
| GODFATHER | ... animal tender almost taking Defender of the Faith for another (9) |
| DEFENDER | Of the Faith, a title held by Charles III as head of the Church of England (8) |
| JIHAD | One of the Ancillaries of the Faith |
| OBVERSE | The side of British coins showing the monarch's head |
| STERLING | The official standard of fineness of British coins |
| RELIGIOUSLEADERS | Keepers of the faith, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues |
| AGNOSTIC | One who doubts the validity of the faith is acting so strangely (8) |
| CATHOLIC | Elizabeth was, at first, tolerant of those of the faith (8) |
| HEMAN | Cartoon defender of the realm of Eternia |
| JACKIEJOYNERKERSEE | The only successful defender of the Olympic heptathlon title |
| XENA | Princess known as the Defender of the Elijans |
| ISLAMIC | Of the faith of Muslims |
| AUTODAFE | Judicial sentence, or its execution, by the Spanish Inquisition; Portuguese, 'act of the faith' (4-2-2) |
| VENTORA | Six-cylinder derivative of the Victor FD (8,7) |
| VAUXHALL | Six-cylinder derivative of the Victor FD (8,7) |
| COKE | _ bottle, styling of the Vauxhall Victor FD (4) |
