Fine service, hard and fast (4-3)
I believe the answer is:
well-set
'fast' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
'fine service hard' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'fine' could be 'well' (similar in meaning) and 'well' is found in the answer.
'hard' could be 'set' (similar in meaning) and 'set' is found within the answer.
No letters remain.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
'and' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for well-set that I've seen before include "Solidly fixed" , "Firmly established" .)