In a Pickle

What it means

Stuck in an awkward situation with no obvious way of getting out of it.

Where it comes from

Pickle first meant the spiced brine rather than the vegetable, so being in one meant immersion in something sharp. Shakespeare uses it in The Tempest, of a man who is also very drunk.

The puzzle it came from

In a Pickle was the answer to the Phrasicle of September 18, 2025. The clue read ____ a ____, and the words came out of a grid where every neighbouring pair makes a two-word phrase.

Play today's Phrasicle Play the September 18, 2025 puzzle