Possible Clues:

• Gridlock
• Setter is past prime in stalemate
• Deadlock or stand-off
• I'm old-fashioned, there's no getting away from it
• Mediator's challenge
• Stand-off or stalemate
• Roadblock
• Deadlock in which the devil takes almost full advantage
• Setter is out of date - you can't escape that
• The setter's old-fashioned situation offering no way out