A list of 57 words by rolig.
- slippery slopewas added by rolig and appears on 12 lists
- donnybrookwas added by rolig and appears on 80 lists
- fiascowas added by rolig and appears on 117 lists
- debaclewas added by rolig and appears on 166 lists
- débâclewas added by rolig and appears on 3 lists
- dire straitswas added by rolig and appears on 7 lists
- dulcarnonwas added by rolig and appears on 9 lists
- going through hellwas added by rolig and appears on just this list
- rubwas added by rolig and appears on 35 lists
- belly upwas added by rolig and appears on 6 lists
- bindwas added by rolig and appears on 23 lists
- imbrogliowas added by rolig and appears on 277 lists
- crosswas added by rolig and appears on 85 lists
- lurchwas added by rolig and appears on 53 lists
- at one's wits' endwas added by rolig and appears on just this list
- at the end of one's ropewas added by rolig and appears on 2 lists
- not out of the woods yetwas added by rolig and appears on 2 lists
- in the lions' denwas added by rolig and appears on 2 lists
- on the rockswas added by rolig and appears on 8 lists
- queer streetwas added by rolig and appears on 4 lists
- bummerwas added by rolig and appears on 30 lists
- on tenterhookswas added by rolig and appears on 5 lists
- the devil to paywas added by rolig and appears on 2 lists
- between the devil and the deep blue seawas added by rolig and appears on 11 lists
- bitchwas added by rolig and appears on 75 lists
- in the weedswas added by rolig and appears on 4 lists
- deep shitwas added by rolig and appears on 3 lists
- deep doo-doowas added by rolig and appears on just this list
- between scylla and charybdiswas added by rolig and appears on 4 lists
- fecoventilary situationwas added by rolig and appears on just this list
- up the creekwas added by rolig and appears on 3 lists
- conundrumwas added by rolig and appears on 282 lists
- bogged downwas added by rolig and appears on 2 lists
- sticky wicketwas added by rolig and appears on 13 lists
- situationwas added by rolig and appears on 20 lists
- hot spotwas added by rolig and appears on 6 lists
- crisiswas added by rolig and appears on 42 lists
- up against the wallwas added by rolig and appears on just this list
- between a rock and a hard placewas added by rolig and appears on 3 lists
- vicious circlewas added by rolig and appears on 13 lists
- cul-de-sacwas added by rolig and appears on 44 lists
- dead endwas added by rolig and appears on 5 lists
- cornerwas added by rolig and appears on 33 lists
- tight spotwas added by rolig and appears on just this list
- no-win situationwas added by rolig and appears on just this list
- pandora's boxwas added by rolig and appears on 5 lists
- can of wormswas added by rolig and appears on 11 lists
- enigmawas added by rolig and appears on 240 lists
- riddlewas added by rolig and appears on 51 lists
- messwas added by rolig and appears on 34 lists
- quandarywas added by rolig and appears on 183 lists
- picklewas added by rolig and appears on 99 lists
- predicamentwas added by rolig and appears on 93 lists
- dilemmawas added by rolig and appears on 55 lists
- fixwas added by rolig and appears on 44 lists
- jamwas added by rolig and appears on 60 lists
- quagmirewas added by rolig and appears on 213 lists
bilby commented on the list problem-words
Conundrum is a word with a memorable sound to it. Nice list idea rollie.
December 16, 2007
minerva commented on the list problem-words
How about in the weeds?
December 16, 2007
skipvia commented on the list problem-words
Very cool list! How about "up the creek without a paddle?"
December 16, 2007
skipvia commented on the list problem-words
We used to say "he shit in his own sandbox" to describe someone who created his own problems.
Come to think of it, I still do...
December 16, 2007
oroboros commented on the list problem-words
Horns of a dilemma? Shit sandwich?
December 16, 2007
bilby commented on the list problem-words
I'm not playing beach volleyball with skipvia any more.
December 16, 2007
rolig commented on the list problem-words
Thanks all!
Minerva, I'm not familiar with "in the weeds" - reesetee says it's restaurant jargon?
Skipvia, thanks for the sandbox idea, but I think I will confine this list to noun phrases, and occasionally adjectives, and prepositional phrases of place.
Oroboros, thanks for reminding me about those horns, but the fecal sandwich I'll have to think about.
Bilby, I always use a conundrum!
December 16, 2007
minerva commented on the list problem-words
Yes, it's diner lingo, said to be originally a military term.
December 16, 2007
sonofgroucho commented on the list problem-words
Superb idea for a list!
December 16, 2007
reesetee commented on the list problem-words
Great list, rolig! (Minerva, thanks for suggesting "in the weeds.")
December 17, 2007
mollusque commented on the list problem-words
How about gone goose?
December 18, 2007
rolig commented on the list problem-words
Never heard of "gone goose", mollusque. Where does that come from?
December 19, 2007
bilby commented on the list problem-words
Between the devil and the deep blue sea.
December 19, 2007
mollusque commented on the list problem-words
"Gone goose" is American slang going back to around 1830. I was thinking along the lines of dead in the water, but it's closer to the current meaning of "dead duck". Maybe it doesn't fit, since it's the result of the problem, not the problem itself.
December 19, 2007
sionnach commented on the list problem-words
in a bind?
a scrape? or a tight scrape?
gone belly up?
running out of options?
circling the drain?
doomed?
January 27, 2008
treeseed commented on the list problem-words
going off the rails
January 27, 2008
misterpolly commented on the list problem-words
Nice list!
Heads you win, tails I lose.
January 28, 2008
marky commented on the list problem-words
cool list!
June 23, 2011