Clerical workers may have taken them (6)
I believe the answer is:
orders
'clerical workers' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are plural nouns, I cannot understand how they can define each other.
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for orders that I've seen before include "Dictates, commands" , "taken by clergymen" , "Presumably 26 [TURKEY] will have to have taken these" , "books" , "Monastic societies" .)