Gets away with breaking Nick's ladders (4,3,4)

I believe the answer is:

cuts and runs

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'gets away' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I cannot tell whether it can be defined by this definition.

'with breaking nick's ladders' is the wordplay.
'with' becomes 'and'.
'breaking' indicates putting letters inside.
'nick's' becomes 'cut's'.
'ladders' becomes 'runs' ('run' can be a synonym of 'ladder').
'cuts'+'runs'='cutsruns'
'and' put inside 'cutsruns' is 'CUTS AND RUNS'.

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(Another definition for cuts and runs that I've seen is " Makes a hasty exit from a hazardous situation".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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