What does the cryptic crossword clue "Excessive response ended battle involving Royal Engineers (12)" mean?

The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). OVER (synonym="ended") + RE (synonym="Royal Engineers") + ACTION (synonym="battle") = OVERREACTION The answer is OVERREACTION.

Excessive response ended battle involving Royal Engineers (12)

Guardian Cryptic #29377 | 4 Down | 2024-05-08 flower

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