Way down below ground, they say (5)
I believe the answer is:
route
'way' is the definition.
(I know that way can be written as route)
'down below ground they say' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'down' could be 'out' (similar in meaning) and 'out' is located in the answer.
The remaining letters 're' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for route that I've seen before include "Course to be travelled" , "Way, course" , "Path to follow" , "Itinerary; way" , "Way of getting from A to B" .)