Coppers taking steps for serious problem (10)
I believe the answer is:
pestilence
'serious problem' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both states of affairs as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'coppers taking steps' is the wordplay.
'coppers' becomes 'pence' (copper coins - pennies).
'taking' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'steps' becomes 'stile' (set of steps in a field).
'pence' enclosing 'stile' is 'PESTILENCE'.
'for' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pestilence that I've seen before include "it's an agent of evil" , "Epidemic disease with a high death rate" , "dire horseman?" , "Fatal epidemic disease" , "morally harmful influence" .)