single word requests - What is the problem that gets worse after you try to solve it?


Example sentence - This problem is a _____ which gets complicated every time you try to solve it.


Is there such a word that represents a problem which will become worse if/when one tries to solve it?


Note - After seeing the comments and answers I'd like to add that this is not a can of worms or Pandora's box because it doesn't create a new problem but just worsens.


Example: Magic leaves protecting a fruit by enclosing it. Every time a leaf is touched, all the leaves close together further, that is more tight than before.



Answer



can of worms



informal. a situation that causes a lot of problems for you when you start to deal with it:
Corruption is a serious problem, but nobody has yet been willing to open up that can of worms. — Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus



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