Pull the Rug Out
What it means
Remove somebody's support suddenly, when they were relying on it entirely.
Where it comes from
The full form is pull the rug out from under someone, and the cruelty is in the mechanics. Nobody is pushed. They are simply left with nothing to stand on.
The puzzle it came from
Pull the Rug Out was the answer to the Phrasicle of December 22, 2025. The clue read ____ the ____ ____, and the words came out of a grid where every neighbouring pair makes a two-word phrase.
Play today's Phrasicle Play the December 22, 2025 puzzle
Show the solved grid (this spoils the December 22, 2025 puzzle)
merino
wool
blanket
order
history
ground
floor
rug
size
limit
magnetic
pull
motion
control
panel
look
smart
move
out
look
Phrasicle: Pull the Rug Out