Measly hot lag ordered (15)
I believe the answer is:
inconsequential
'measly' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'hot lag ordered' is the wordplay.
'hot lag' becomes 'incon' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'ordered' becomes 'sequential' (similar in meaning).
'incon'+'sequential'='INCONSEQUENTIAL'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for inconsequential that I've seen before include "unrelated to the foregoing" , "Petty" , "Trivial" .)