Make Your Point > Archived Issues > GORDIAN KNOT

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explore the archives: Gordian knot comes from the blend of history and legend surrounding Alexander the Great. Could you recall these other terms from stories of long ago? And could you apply each to a commonplace situation today? (Hint: they're in alphabetical order below.) The one about a hanging sword is... The one about a magical guardian is... The one about a bird with the power to calm is... The one about a dangerous box is... make your point with... "GORDIAN KNOT" The details are disputed, but here's the basic legend. Gordius (or "Gordias"), a king in Phrygia, had a tangled, complicated knot made of bark. Alexander the Great came along and "untied" it by slicing straight through it with his sword, an achievement that made him the ruler of Asia. So, a Gordian knot is any difficult, complex problem or situation. And to cut a Gordian knot is to solve a complex problem not by patiently unraveling it but by using force, sneakiness, or cleverness. Pronunciation: GOR dee un NOT Part of speech: Countable noun. (Countable nouns, like "bottle," "piece," and "decision," are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about "a bottle," "three pieces," and "many decisions." Likewise, talk about one Gordian knot or multiple Gordian knots.) It's also a proper noun, so you always capitalize the G. Other forms: The adjective is "Gordian." How to use it: Call a difficult, complicated, troublesome situation a Gordian knot, the Gordian knot, or this/that Gordian knot. Often you talk about the Gordian knot of something: the Gordian knot of government spending, the Gordian knot of adolescent emotions. The adjective alone is less common, but you can talk about Gordian struggles, these Gordian weeds, this Gordian pile of necklaces, the soap opera's Gordian plot, and so on. Sometimes you unravel or untie your Gordian knots, patiently and carefully. Other times, like Alexander the Great, you apply force, find a loophole, take a shortcut, change the rules of the game, etc., and slice or cut your Gordian knots. You can often swap in "cut the Gordian knot" for "think outside the box." Things might wind themselves into a Gordian knot, and you might become entangled in a Gordian knot. Be mindful of this term's literal meaning from the legend. It's less suitable to write, for example, "the Gordian knot disappeared when we changed our strategy" compared to "the Gordian knot broke apart." But I admit I'm niggling here. examples: Have you ever tried to cancel a gym membership? Good luck unraveling that Gordian knot. Or just slice through it by canceling the credit card they've got on file. On some days, being a working mom is blissful and easy. Other days, it's a Gordian knot and I'm picking at its threads. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "Gordian knot" means when you can explain it without saying "unsolvable problem" or "complicated issue." try it out: Think of a complex problem or situation--something that exhausts you. Fill in the blank: "I suggest we cut the Gordian knot by (doing something specific to get rid of the problem altogether)." Example: "I suggest we cut the Gordian knot by spending no more time or money at all on standardized testing in schools." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we’re playing with anagrams: rearrangements of the letters in a word to form new words. (For example, “care” has two anagrams: “acre” and “race.”) Looking for these makes you a stronger player in other word games. But more importantly, it helps you practice thinking flexibly and methodically. Plus you get to giggle at potential non-words and discover new real words. We’ll work our way from shorter to longer anagrams. And at any point if you wonder why I left out a word you wanted to list, or why I included a word you think isn’t a real one, hold your fire: our authority for this game is ScrabbleWordFinder.org, which draws from a highly inclusive dictionary. Let’s play! From yesterday: What are the 2 anagrams for SPIT? Answer: PITS and TIPS. Try this one today: What is the 1 anagram for COAT? review today's word: 1. The opposite of GORDIAN KNOT is A. A MATTER OF EASE B. A MATTER OF FACT C. A MATTER OF COINCIDENCE 2. Educational researchers _____ a Gordian knot of _____. A. offer .. solutions that effectively nix common problems B. find  .. simple strategies to increase retention C. face .. biases that invalidate results Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. C