___ impasse

ATAN

This French phrase translates to "at a" and often precedes a tricky situation in negotiations or travel.

The clue "___ impasse" hints at a phrase where the missing word sounds like "a tan" when spoken aloud. "At an impasse" is a common expression meaning stuck in a deadlock, so the answer plays on the pronunciation of "a tan" to form "ATAN." The wordplay relies on the homophone trick—"a tan" and "at an" sound identical, making the answer a clever twist on the phrase.