The legend of the Gordian Knot is attributed to Alexander the Great who in the year 333 BC, while in the process of concurring Asia, reached Gordium, the capital of Phrygia. Previously, Phygria’s leader, King Gordius, had tied an intricate knot with a hidden end and decreed that the one who could untie the knot would be the ruler of Asia. Legend has it that Alexander the Great used his sword to cut the knot instead of untying it and thus conquered Asia; http://www.britannica.com/topic/Gordian-knot
The act of cutting the Gordian knot is a metaphor depicting the process of resolving a complicated problem by identifying and implementing an unusual and unforeseen simple solution. When facing a difficult/complex problem, it is important to focus on finding the simplest and most efficient “out of the box” solution rather than being distracted by the complexity of the problem. Please read how NASA engineers were able to find highly creative and simple solutions to avert the near disastrous situation onboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft and ultimately bring the crew safely back to earth;https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo13.html#.VoHnIhUrLWI
