Crossword Genius

He's put in little work yet has expectations (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

hopes

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'expectations' is the definition.
(hope is a kind of expectation)

'he's put in little work yet' is the wordplay.
'put in' means one lot of letters goes inside another (instruction to solver).
'little work' becomes 'op'.
'yet' becomes 's' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'he' placed around 'op' is 'hope'.
'hope'+'s'='HOPES'

'has' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for hopes that I've seen before include "Aspires" , "Believes that good things may happen" , "Aspirations, wishes" , "Desires and expects" , "Expectations" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.
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