| JAILER | Custodian of a prisoner (6) |
| KEEPER | General word for a custodian of a zoo or gallery (6) |
| MAHOUT | Custodian of a grounded jumbo (6) |
| BAILEE | Custodian of a certain bond |
| PAROLE | Conditional release of a prisoner on the promise of good behaviour (6) |
| SPRING | Good time of the year to procure the release of a prisoner (6) |
| RANSOM | Sum of money or other payment demanded for the release of a prisoner |
| ANDTHE | The _ _ _ _, short story by Edgar Allan Poe about the torture of a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition (3,3,3,8) |
| CAPTOR | Holder of a prisoner |
| CURATOR | Usually custodian of a museum or library, but also in charge of a cricket pitch (7) |
| LIBRARIAN | Custodian of a collection of books (9) |
| ESCORT | Custodian of French art and gold kept by court |
| POLICE | ... custodians of law and order (6) |
| SOLITARY | See 8D. Isolation of a prisoner in a separate cell as punishment (8,11) |
| CONFINEMENT | See 7D. Isolation of a prisoner in a separate cell as punishment (8,11) |
| PENDULUM | The _ _ _ _, short story by Edgar Allan Poe about the torture of a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition (3,3,3,8) |
| PIT | The _ _ _ _, short story by Edgar Allan Poe about the torture of a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition (3,3,3,8) |
| GALA | Celebration of a prisoner returning (4) |
| OFLAG | P.O.W. camp of a prisoner (5) |
| ONLICENCE | Status of a prisoner given early release |
