Wash Away {U}

Instant

Cleave {1}{U}{U} (You may cast this spell for its cleave cost. If you do, remove the words in square brackets.)

Counter target spell [that wasn’t cast from its owner’s hand].

“May the ocean take it”
—Nephalia expression meaning
“good riddance”

Illustrated by Brian Valeza

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Copies of spells are never cast from a player's hand, so Wash Away can counter copies of spells even if its cleave cost wasn't paid, regardless of whether the original spell being copied was cast from a player's hand. (2021-11-19)
If you cast a spell for its cleave cost, that spell doesn't have any of the text in square brackets while it's on the stack. (2021-11-19)
A cleave cost is an alternative cost that's paid instead of the spell's mana cost. Casting a spell for its cleave cost doesn't change the spell's mana value. (2021-11-19)

You can't cast a spell for both its cleave cost and another alternative cost. For example, if an effect gives an Alchemist's Retrieval in your graveyard a flashback cost of {U}, you can't cast it from your graveyard for its cleave cost. (2021-11-19)
If an effect allows you to “cast a spell without paying its mana cost,” you can't cast that spell for its cleave cost. (2021-11-19)