Ugly toad says "alas" (3,2,3)

I believe the answer is:

sad to say

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'alas' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I can't tell whether this works.

'ugly toad says' is the wordplay.
'ugly' is an anagram indicator (an ugly or wrong form of the letters).
'toad'+'says'='toadsays'
'toadsays' with letters rearranged gives 'SAD TO SAY'.

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I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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