The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word TOILING
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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More clues leading to the result TOILING
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The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does TOILING mean?
TOILING verb- To labour; work.
- To struggle.
- To work (something); often with out.
- To weary through excessive labour.
- Hard work.