Possible Clues:

• Put one's nose to the grindstone
• Struggled with
• Worked like Cinderella
• Worked up a sweat
• Laboured, worked hard
• Worked long and hard
• Worked a short time, given lubrication
• Edward worked around what's like 31 across, by the sound of it
• Having been lubricated with a little tea, it worked!
• Having been lubricated at last, it worked