Worked out class total without fail (2,3,5)
I believe the answer is:
at all costs
'without fail' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adverbs. Perhaps you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'worked out class total' is the wordplay.
'worked out' is an anagram indicator.
'class'+'total'='classtotal'
'classtotal' anagrammed gives 'AT ALL COSTS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for at all costs that I've seen before include "come what may" , "no matter what the consequences may be" , "Regardless of expense" , "Regardless of what needs to be paid" , "Regardless of the price" .)