Coach says the team's defense is its Achilles' heel. In the Greek story, Achilles could be wounded nowhere except in his heel. What does the phrase say about the defense?

The principal called clearing the flooded gym a Herculean job. Hercules was the hero handed twelve labors so large no ordinary person could attempt them. What does calling the job Herculean say about it?

Dara admits that posting the rumor opened Pandora's box. Pandora was given a jar she was told to leave shut, and she lifted the lid. What does the phrase say about posting the rumor?

Mom said a good Samaritan changed our tire on the highway. In the parable in Luke, a traveler from Samaria stops for a wounded stranger whom others walked past. What does the phrase say about the person?

Signing the lease was crossing the Rubicon for the Olins. Julius Caesar marched his army over the Rubicon river knowing the act could not be taken back. What does the phrase say about signing?

The tech teacher warned that the free app was a Trojan horse. Greek soldiers once hid inside a huge wooden horse left at Troy's gate as an offering. What does the phrase say about the app?

Every fundraiser Nadia runs sells out, so her uncle says she has the Midas touch. King Midas found that whatever his fingers brushed turned into gold. What does the phrase say about Nadia?

The promise of easy money was a siren song for the crew. The Sirens sang from their island so beautifully that passing sailors steered onto the rocks. What does the phrase say about the promise?

Winning the appeal was a Pyrrhic victory for the town. King Pyrrhus beat the Romans twice but lost so many soldiers that he could not fight on. What does the phrase say about the win?

Rae was the class Cassandra about the leaky roof. Cassandra of Troy could see what was coming, but a curse meant her listeners always waved her off. What does calling Rae a Cassandra say?

A reviewer called the singer's new album narcissistic. Narcissus was the youth who leaned over a pool and could not pull himself away from his own reflection. What does the word say about the album?

Ms. Ruiz became Ivy's mentor during her first year of teaching. In the Odyssey, Mentor is the old friend Odysseus leaves in charge of advising his young son. What does calling her a mentor say?

Reporters said the startup's founders flew too close to the sun. Icarus was given wings of feathers and wax, ignored the warning, and rose until the wax gave way. What does the phrase say about the founders?

The budget vote hung over the library like the sword of Damocles. Damocles took the king's seat at a feast and found a sword hanging above him by one horsehair. What does the phrase say about the vote?

The scheduling mess was a Gordian knot until Sal simply canceled the double period. Alexander met a knot at Gordium that no one could untangle and put his sword through it. What does the phrase say?

The final was a David and Goliath match. In the account in First Samuel, the young shepherd David faces the giant warrior Goliath carrying only a sling. What does the phrase say about the match?

By March the writing was on the wall for the store. In the Book of Daniel, words appear on a palace wall during a feast and are read as the end of the king's reign. What does the phrase mean?

Calling the informer a Judas, the union leader refused to shake his hand. Judas Iscariot is the follower who handed Jesus to the authorities for a payment of silver. What does the word say about the informer?

Ben is a doubting Thomas about the new schedule. Thomas is the follower who said he would not accept the news of the resurrection until he saw and touched it himself. What does the phrase say about Ben?

After two years away, the prodigal cousin came home to a party. In the parable in Luke, a son spends his inheritance recklessly, returns with nothing, and is met with a feast. What does the word say about the cousin?

The grant was manna from heaven for the clinic. In Exodus, food appears on the ground each morning in the wilderness for people who had no way to feed themselves. What does the phrase say about the grant?

Ana offered an olive branch after the argument. In the flood account in Genesis, a dove comes back to the ark holding a fresh olive leaf, and the waters are going down. What does the phrase say about Ana?

The volunteers showed the patience of Job through a third delay. Job is the figure who loses his property, his children and his health, and still does not turn away. What does the phrase say about the volunteers?

Sports writers called the team's late run a Lazarus act. In the Gospel of John, Lazarus is called out of the tomb four days after he was buried. What does the phrase say about the run?

A consumer column called the ad a wolf in sheep's clothing. In Aesop's fable, a wolf pulls a fleece over itself and walks unnoticed among the flock. What does the phrase say about the ad?

Marco has cried wolf about the fire alarm twice this month. In Aesop's fable, a shepherd boy raises false alarms until the villagers stop coming and the wolf is real. What does the phrase say about Marco?

Tomas lost the audition and then called the play boring, which his sister called pure sour grapes. In Aesop's fable, a fox that cannot reach a bunch of grapes decides they were sour anyway. What does the phrase say?

Her friends said that trying to end all homework was tilting at windmills. In Cervantes' novel, Don Quixote lowers his lance and charges a row of windmills he takes for giants. What does the phrase say about the effort?

You need experience to be hired and a job to get experience, which Priya called a real catch-22. In Heller's novel, an air force rule traps the pilots whichever way they turn. What does the phrase say about the situation?

The new camera policy felt like Big Brother to the staff. In Orwell's novel, Big Brother is the face of a state that watches its citizens through screens in every room. What does the phrase say about the policy?

The committee's rulebook turned into Frankenstein's monster. In Shelley's novel, a scientist assembles a creature that gets away from him and destroys what he loves. What does the phrase say about the rulebook?

Calling the landlord a Scrooge, the tenants pointed at the cold hallway. In Dickens' story, Scrooge will not spend even on coal for his clerk's fire. What does the word say about the landlord?

The eighth seed's run to the final was a Cinderella story. In the folk tale, a girl kept in the kitchen and overlooked at home ends the evening dancing at the palace. What does the phrase say about the run?

The half-built pool became an albatross around the council's neck. In Coleridge's poem, a sailor who shoots an albatross must wear the dead bird hung from his neck. What does the phrase say about the pool?

When his co-author signed with the rival press, Dan said only, "Et tu, Brute?" Brutus was a friend Caesar trusted, and he was among the men who stabbed him. What does the remark say about the co-author?

A reporter called the mayor's alliance Machiavellian. In his book The Prince, Machiavelli advises rulers on winning and keeping power by whatever means work. What does the word say about the alliance?

Clearing the shared inbox felt Sisyphean to Priya. Sisyphus was condemned to push a boulder up a hill and watch it roll back down, over and over, with no end. What does the word say about the task?

Downtown rose like a phoenix after the fire. The phoenix of legend burns on its own nest and a new bird lifts out of the ashes. What does the phrase say about downtown?

The failed audit was the firm's Waterloo. At Waterloo, Napoleon lost the battle that ended his rule for good and sent him into exile. What does the phrase say about the audit?

The unlisted channel was forbidden fruit for the seventh graders. In Genesis, the one tree in the garden the couple are told to leave alone is the tree they go to. What does the phrase say about the channel?