What remains after last of our recycling efforts? (8)
I believe the answer is:
rehashes
'recycling efforts?' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are plural nouns, I don't understand how one could define the other.
'what remains after last of our' is the wordplay.
'what' becomes 'eh' (sound used to ask 'what?' or 'pardon?').
'remains' becomes 'ashes' (I've seen this before).
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'last of' suggests the final letters.
The last letter of 'our' is 'r'.
'eh'+'ashes'='ehashes'
'ehashes' after 'r' is 'REHASHES'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for rehashes that I've seen is " Reuses of old ideas".)