Strung along

LEDON

Think of a verb meaning to guide someone in a deceptive or misleading way, often used in phrases about being misdirected.

"Strung along" hints at something being guided or deceived in a stretched-out way. The answer "LEDON" breaks down as "LED" (meaning guided) plus "ON," but with a twist—the whole thing is a reversal of "NODEL," a play on "noel" (Christmas) minus its first letter, though the primary trick is the straightforward "LED" + "ON" combo. The phrasing also nods to the idea of being misled or drawn out, reinforcing the clue’s double meaning.