tie someone (up) in knots
informal Make someone completely confused: journalists tied themselves in knots trying to define the word...- That the administration had to handle it so carefully is a testament to how much the issue ties them in knots.
- I would like to see an insurance policy that always pays out what it promises. Or a home loan that doesn't tie you in knots with options and clauses.
- The United States Postal Service is tied in knots.
See parent entry: knot