back to square one

/ˌbæk tə ˌskweər ˈwʌn/

returning to the starting point after a setback

back to square one in a sentence

“The project failed, so we're back to square one.”

Possibly from board games or BBC radio football commentary dividing the field into numbered squares

Related Words

barking up the wrong tree

pursuing a mistaken or misguided course

beat around the bush

to avoid getting to the point; speak evasively

bite off more than you can chew

to take on more responsibility than you can handle

bite the bullet

to endure a painful situation with courage

break the ice

to initiate conversation in a social setting

burn bridges

to destroy relationships or opportunities permanently