Crossword Genius

Lays waste to reform, at any rate (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

leastways

'at any rate' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'lays waste to reform' is the wordplay.
'to reform' indicates anagramming the letters (letters in a new form).
'lays'+'waste'='layswaste'
'layswaste' is an anagram of 'LEASTWAYS'.

(Other definitions for leastways that I've seen before include "anyhow" , "in any event" , "at any rate" , "As a minimum" , "If nothing else" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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