Crossword Genius

Secret of criminal avoiding punishment (4,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

scot free

'avoiding punishment' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'secret of criminal' is the wordplay.
'criminal' indicates an anagram.
'secret'+'of'='secretof'
'secretof' with letters rearranged gives 'SCOT-FREE'.

(Other definitions for scot free that I've seen before include "avoiding punishment" , "the reverse of what Wallace hoped to be" , "not having to pay" , "After next month a union may be so" , "It may be got off" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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