Possible Clues:

• A thing failing to work
• Failing to work or meet standard (colloq.)
• It fizzles
• A palindromic washout
• It doesn't detonate
• A palindromic failure
• (Explosive) failure
• 'E could make what's no good just dandy in America
• Although a bit of no-good, 'e could make one quite a swell
• It's no good to go backwards and forwards like this