thorny, ticklish, touchy, quandary, conundrum, imbroglio, fiasco, issue, contentious, controversy, squabble, whipping boy, dilemma, brouhaha, minefield, plaything, firestorm, wrangle, trump card, dicey, sticky wicket, controversial, saga, brainer, limbo, lame duck, powder keg, cause celebre, bombshell, proverbial, flashpoint, topic, lightning rod, red herring, stumbling block, hot, mess, litmus test, matters, pickle, burner, problematic, fait accompli, nettlesome, furor, tempest, punching bag, quagmire, moot, ramifications, thorn, nonstarter, tiff, albatross, tar pit, maelstrom, bunfight, gravy train, kerfuffle, bargaining chip, knottier, boondoggle, spat, donnybrook, sticky, afterthought, debacle, debate, bungles, hardball, hullabaloo, double dipper, buzzword, pawns, untenable, buttered, furore, tussles, unpopular, complicated, foregone conclusion, sacred cow, unpalatable, obstacle, roadblock, irritant, bogeyman, problem, pressing, tricky, vexing, embroiled, sideshow, quicksand, messy, scandal, headache, bonanza, implications, booby prize, shenanigans, carrot

situation, state of affairs