The Rice University Neologisms Database

A problem that is incredibly hard An “oh shit!” problem is a problem that is incredibly difficult. The phrase “oh shit!” describes the reaction a person has once they see this problem on an exam. Usually, this question is worth the most points on an exam. Professors generally give at least one on every exam. Furthermore, they are the bane of most undergrads existence. This phrase was used mainly to shock people and to make them laugh. Most of the undergrads in the class are freshman and are not used to hearing a professor curse, and think that it is hilarious that the professor is using curse words to describe a problem on her exam. Moreover, the term “oh shit!” accurately describes the reaction most people have when they see that question on the exam, so the term “oh shit!” problem accurately describes the difficulty of the problem.