Crossword Genius

Instructed to have husband set free many times (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

threefold

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'many times' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adverbs. Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?

'instructed to have husband set free' is the wordplay.
'instructed' becomes 'told' (I've seen this before).
'to have' is an insertion indicator.
'husband' becomes 'h' (abbreviation).
'set' indicates an anagram (instruction to set the letters).
'free' anagrammed gives 'reef'.
'h'+'reef'='hreef'
'told' placed around 'hreef' is 'THREEFOLD'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for threefold that I've seen before include "in several parts" , "Triple" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Express.
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