2d) I'm not the best when it comes to French, however, could someone help with 'filet(s)'
It has a French meaning of being a smooth talker (deceitful) and it's nearly an anagram of the word 'ITSELF' which would give the clue some sense as 'itself' is being deceitful as an anagram indicator.
Maybe I'm way off the mark but maybe getting a tad closer?
take a look at this site and scroll to 'filet'
books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=1134930623