Cryptic crossword clue
Hard shot that fails to create a problem for Tom?

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word HAIRBALL

I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
H
A
I
R
B
A
L
L

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "a problem for Tom?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case a problem for tom? = hairball.
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 HAIRBALL mean?

HAIRBALL noun
  1. A small wad of fur or mass of hair formed in the digestive system of a cat or other animal, from hair ingested while grooming.
  2. A messy, tangled, intractable issue.

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