The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word FORGE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Sunday Telegraph
F
O
R
G
E
More clues leading to the result FORGE
- Make pro say: ‘Making a comeback’
- It was used to make links at Gretna Green
- Where you might find 18 is fake
- Stop recalling short fashion
- Look for food without a mould
- There is constant change with power hammer
- Fashion a furnace for working with metals
- Advance copy
- Not entirely neglect fashion
- Fellow internally reconfigured giant workshop
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "to make money illegally" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case to make money illegally = forge.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does FORGE mean?
FORGE noun- Furnace or hearth where metals are heated prior to hammering them into shape.
- Workshop in which metals are shaped by heating and hammering them.
- The act of beating or working iron or steel.
- To shape a metal by heating and hammering.
- To form or create with concerted effort.
- To create a forgery of; to make a counterfeit item of; to copy or imitate unlawfully.
- To make falsely; to produce, as that which is untrue or not genuine; to fabricate.
- (often as forge ahead) To move forward heavily and slowly (originally as a ship); to advance gradually but steadily; to proceed towards a goal in the face of resistance or difficulty.
- (sometimes as forge ahead) To advance, move or act with an abrupt increase in speed or energy.