Is my rear wheel dead, or with some help and cake, could it live another day?

Symptom: you push cranks and cassette just spins!
You then give hub a shake and it hooks up but notchy.

There also appears to be play in hub. (it’s an Xt 6 bolt jobbie with a 9 speed).

Happened after a very rocky descent.

Any thoughts gratefully received as ever.

Needs a replacement freehub by the sounds of it.

As realman says it sounds like the freehub has gone. Same happened to my older deore hub, just needs a replacement.

You may find it’s cheaper to buy a new hub than to buy a freehub! (If you do, then just nick the freehub off the new one and swap it over rather than get the wheel re-built).

Sounds like the freehub to me, shimano Ones only cost about £20.

What stevemcd said. My rear XT was shot (bearings and freehub) so just bought one for about £35 from Wiggle with a discount voucher. Came with a nice skewer worth £15+ as well.

Cake or Death

So, freehub and cake it is.
Thanks all.

Ps. Great Lego twist on the Izzard magic.