bind, clutch, complication, crunch, embarrassing position, embarrassment, fine how-do-you-do, hell to pay, hobble, hot water, how-do-you-do, imbroglio, jam, mess, mix, morass, parlous straits, pass, pickle, pinch, plight, predicament, pretty pass, pretty pickle, pretty predicament, quagmire, quicksand, scrape, slough, spot, squeeze, stew, sticky wicket, strait, straits, swamp, tight spot, tight squeeze, tightrope, tricky spot, unholy mess