Praise from the hard-boiled? (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
well done
'hard-boiled?' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for well done that I've seen before include "how you might get the chop" , "thoroughly prepared" , "Words of praise" , "expression of approval" , "By no means rare" .)