Crossword Genius

Spend regularly on uniform that's second-hand (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

used

'second-hand' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'spend regularly on uniform' is the wordplay.
'regularly' means one should take alternating letters (regularly take one letter, leave next etc.).
'on' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'uniform' becomes 'u' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
The alternating letters of 'spend' are 'sed'.
'sed' after 'u' is 'USED'.

'that's' is the link.

(Other definitions for used that I've seen before include "with a previous owner" , "Took advantage of" , "Second-hand; exploited" , "Subject to exploitation" , "taken advantage of!" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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