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Can't understand the logic between clue and answer!
Clue; Effect of bomb from one letter.
Answer; BLAST.

B (is) Last in Bomb?

I puzzled over this clue also. Peterj, like me, I assume you’re a regular Western Mail solver; have you noticed a marked increase in its difficulty in recent months? Some days I find it quite hard to get into.

In an attempt to find out more, I Googled the clue - but all I got was that it was used in an Irish paper in 2018. I'd be delighted if someone had a good explanation, good parsing, for the answer. (My suggestion was from the 'clutching at straws' pile!)

Thanks for your help, I was the one clutching at straws! It was obviously BLAST but couldn't, for the life of me fathom out why. I suppose last letter in bomb fits but it's a horrible clue for a normally easy cryptic crossword. Thanks again.

I don't find them particularly taxing but when an answer doesn't make much sense I get very annoyed! Regards and keep on puzzle solving. Thank God for the forum.

PeterJ, thanks. I think some setters have odd mindsets - mindsets that are not compatible with mine!

I think that’s what I’m experiencing with the new WM setter. They’ve got a quirky way of looking at things which I’m still trying to fathom. I always finish the grids but not quite as quickly as before, and I’ve been doing it every day (Mon - Sat) for the last three years. However, sometimes I do wonder if some of the setter’s trickier clues (like this one) are just badly written.

Thanks, Gawdelpus, interesting stuff - in spite of (or because of?) it not being a puzzle I do or even see. Some solvers don't like to read of 'poor clues', but I'm firmly in the camp that believes they do crop up at times!