Gordian Knot From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other uses, see Gordian Knot (disambiguation). Alexander cuts the Gordian Knot, by Jean-Simon Berthélemy (1743–1811) The Gordian Knot is a legend of Phrygian Gordium associated with Alexander the Great. It is often used as a metaphor for an intractable problem (disentangling an "impossible" knot) solved easily by cheating or "thinking outside the box" ("cutting the Gordian knot"): "Turn him to any cause of policy, The Gordian Knot of it he will unloose, Familiar as his garter" (Shakespeare, Henry V, Act 1 Scene 1. 45–47)