Possible Clues:

• Utter failure, figuratively
• Winner in a hot-air-fueled race?
• *Metaphor for a failure
• Metaphorical failure (... letters 3-8)
• See 5
• Flop, figuratively
• Bad idea, so to speak
• First dance with nothing on shouldn't go down like this
• Figurative flop
• Exemplar of something that won't succeed