Crossword Genius

Works hard to get good service at empty tearooms (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

grafts

'works hard' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'good service at empty tearooms' is the wordplay.
'good' becomes 'g' (abbreviation).
'service' becomes 'raf' (**).
'at' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'empty' means to remove the middle letters.
'tearooms' with its middle taken out is 'ts'.
'g'+'raf'+'ts'='GRAFTS'

'to get' is the link.

(Other definitions for grafts that I've seen before include "Splices or joins plant shoots together" , "Shoots from one plant fixed into another" , "Works hard; transplants" , "Tree implants or corrupt business practices" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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