Cryptic crossword clue
Rose sportingly let out after retraction at the last minute 4,2,4

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 2 plus 4 letter word JUST IN TIME

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "at the last minute" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case at the last minute = just in time.
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 JUST IN TIME mean?

JUST IN TIME adjective
  1. Taking place at the time when it is needed, and not in advance.

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