Was it just too much for the overworked hat maker? (4,5)
I believe the answer is:
last straw
'was it just too much' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.
'the overworked hat maker?' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'the' could be 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects) and 't' is located in the answer.
'hat' could be 'straw' (I've seen this in another clue) and 'straw' is present in the answer.
The remaining letters 'las' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'for' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for last straw that I've seen before include "That which broke the camel's back?" , "Something tipping the balance" , "The final irritation that stretches your patience beyond the limit" , "The final provocation" , "Camel's back breaker" .)