If you would detonate the moon, break it up into small pieces and smear them out over its orbit, tidal friction would cease. Tidal friction is a major component of the earth's rotation's slowdown.

> Wouldn't work afaict. You'd have to get rid of the mass, not just explode it.

I'm sure kibwen had in mind a Hollywood explosion, whereby a detonated object ceases to exist, rather than turning into many smaller objects.

“Sir, are you suggesting that we blow up the moon?”