Villains well-connected in this working group? (5,4)
I believe the answer is:
chain gang
'villains well-connected in this working group?' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both groups as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'working group?' is the wordplay.
'working' becomes 'chain' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'group?' becomes 'gang' (a gang is a group of people).
'chain'+'gang'='CHAIN-GANG'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for chain gang that I've seen before include "penal group" , "Linked prisoners" , "Manacled workers" , "Convicts forced to work" , "Shackled workers?" .)