Char a bit of a mess in Germany (5)
I believe the answer is:
singe
'char' is the definition.
(I know that singe is a more specific form of the action char)
'a bit of a mess in germany' is the wordplay.
'a bit of' indicates a hidden word.
'SINGE' can be found hidden inside 'mess in germany'.
(Other definitions for singe that I've seen before include "Burn superficially" , "Char, scorch" , "Burn slightly on surface" , "Scorch lightly" , "Burn; ignes (anag.)" .)