Gordian knot

/ ˈɡɔːdɪən /

noun

1. (in Greek legend) a complicated knot, tied by King Gordius of Phrygia, that Alexander the Great cut with a sword
2. a complicated and intricate problem (esp in the phrase cut the Gordian knot )

Gordian knot

1. A complex knot tied by a Greek king. According to legend, whoever loosed it would rule all Asia . Alexander the Great , according to some accounts, undid the Gordian knot by cutting through it with his sword.

Notes

By extension, to “cut the Gordian knot” is to solve quickly any very complex problem or to get to the heart of a problem.

Example Sentences

Essentially, by plugging the equations of the Standard Model into powerful computers, researchers can numerically approximate the mess of hadronic blobs, cutting through the subatomic Gordian knot.

From Scientific American

“If you’re in the middle of providing abortion pills, inevitably that in this country right now is going to become a Gordian knot for your company,” he said.

From Washington Post

Davies have argued, and in political and ideological terms, it's something of a Gordian knot that defies any facile analysis.

From Salon

It is tempting to cut through the Gordian knot of checks and balances and the inconvenient thing we call the rule of law by putting someone in charge to give orders and knock heads.

From Salon

It is one obstacle in a Gordian knot of challenges that have rendered the problem intractable for decades, as underscored by conditions in North Spirit Lake, a close-knit community of roughly 300 people.

From New York Times

Related Words

• conundrum
• puzzle