Nothing in paste's OK when spread, as it were (2,2,5)

I believe the answer is:

so to speak

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'as it were' is the definition.
(synonyms)

I don't understand the remainder of the clue.

(Other definitions for so to speak that I've seen before include "If one may use that expression" , "as one might say" , "In a way" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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