a problem that is difficult to solve
a person that is difficult to deal with
someone or something that is difficult to understand
a person hard to get to know or to get close to
She’s such a tough nut to crack. Nobody seems to be able to get through to her.
The game on Saturday is against the current champions, so it will be a hard nut to crack.
The new boss is really hard to figure out. He’s going to be a tough nut to crack.
Good luck trying to get the new guidelines past the head teacher. He’s a hard nut to crack.
Alison has been dating Stan for two years and she still feels like she doesn’t know him at times. He must be a tough nut to crack.
My father loves doing the crossword every day. Sometimes he gets a clue that is a hard nut to crack.
Mathematics turned out to be a hard nut to crack for students in the examination.
The mysterious murder case seems a hard nut to crack for police as the officials are still groping in the dark.
The first four tasks were the toughest nut to crack.
Jazz is always a tough nut to crack, whether you are playing, recording or even listening.
There is no origin for this idiom
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definition
Common phrase that has a specific meaning.