Wild situation with heartless devil seen in torchlight (6)
I believe the answer is:
bedlam
'wild situation' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both states of affairs as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'heartless devil seen in torchlight' is the wordplay.
'heartless' suggests removing the centre.
'seen in' is an insertion indicator.
'torchlight' becomes 'beam' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'devil' with its centre taken out is 'dl'.
'dl' going within 'beam' is 'BEDLAM'.
'with' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bedlam that I've seen before include "Place of uproar or madness" , "Blamed for deafening noise" , "commotion" , "Very noisy confused place" , "Blamed for chaotic situation" .)