Meaning of ‘Back to Square One’
The idiom ‘back to square one’ means to start over from the beginning after an unexpected problem occurs. It implies that the previous efforts were wasted, and that it’s time to begin anew.
Example: The negotiation between the two parties fell apart, so they had to go back to square one as they scrambled to reach an agreement.
Similar Phrases: back to the drawing board, start from scratch, start over
Related Idioms:
Want to discover more popular expressions like this one? Check out our Idioms and Phrases Starting With B page for a list of them.
Origin of ‘Back To Square One’
It is not clear how this common expression originated, but there are two notable theories about its origin. Let’s go over them:
1. The phrase ‘back to square one’ possibly originated from the board game Snakes and Ladders. This game is played on a grid-like board (as depicted in the picture above). In this game, players start at square one and progress by rolling dice to move across the board towards the ending square. However, certain spaces on the board feature pictures of snakes, which can send players back a set distance. These spaces might even reset a player to the beginning of the board, back to square one (hence the phrase).
Interestingly, one of the earliest appearances of this expression in print is from a 1952 edition of the Economic Journal and it’s used in connection with the board game:
“He has the problem of maintaining the interest of the reader who is always being sent back to square one in a sort of intellectual game of snakes and ladders.”
2. This idiom is believed to have originated from a children’s game called hopscotch, which involves multiple players hopping through a course of numbered squares drawn on the ground. In the game, a player throws a marker into one of the squares and attempts to complete the course without stepping on lines or falling. If a mistake is made, the player’s turn ends. Depending on the rules, they may either resume from where they left off or they have to start again from the beginning, referred to as “back to square one” in the expression.
Example Sentences
Let’s take a look at a few usage cases of the phrase ‘back to the drawing board.’
Example Sentences:
1. He is back to square one after losing the data he was working on to a computer crash.
2. I feel like my fitness level has regressed back to square one because of having to wait months for my broken foot to heal.
3. After spending hours carefully constructing a sand castle on the beach, someone accidentally stepped on it and crushed it, leaving John disappointed. He sighed and said, “Well, looks like it’s back to square one for me.”
Example Sentences That Use Similar Phrases:
1. The cookies I made had a weak flavor, so I went back to the drawing board to find a better recipe.
2. Her paper airplane flew straight into the ground, she plans to start from scratch with a new design.
3. While they were saving up money for a car, they had to hit the reset button due to medical expenses.