The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 15 letter word TRINITROTOLUENE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
T
R
I
N
I
T
R
O
T
O
L
U
E
N
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "explosive" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case explosive = trinitrotoluene.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 TRINITROTOLUENE mean?
TRINITROTOLUENE noun- A highly explosive yellow crystalline substance, (CH3C6H2(NO2)3), obtained by reacting nitric acid with toluene