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?”

Indeed, but all life would be extinguished by the ensuing orbital bombardment, thus solving the problem.