ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Gordian Knot

A gordian knot is a very complicated knot that is impossible to untie by normal methods. It's like if you tie your shoelaces so many times that it becomes a huge tangled mess, and you can't figure out how to undo it. The Gordian knot is named after the story of an ancient king called Gordius, who tied a very complicated knot and said that whoever could untie it would become the ruler of Asia.

Many people tried to untie it but failed. Then Alexander the Great came along and instead of trying to untie the knot, he just cut it with his sword. This was considered cheating, but Alexander said that it didn't matter how it was untied, as long as it was undone.

The Gordian knot has since become a symbol for problems that seem impossible to solve or untangle. It shows that sometimes you have to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions instead of just trying to do things the normal way.