Possible Clues:

• Unpromising situation where troublemaker takes almost full advantage
• Stand-off, deadlock
• With so mischievous a fool, by the sound of it, the result must be deadlock
• Halt! Road up. Flow one way
• I am left behind in hopeless difficulty
• Stalemate comes when I'm past my best
• Lack of movement behind Times admission?
• I am old-fashioned, in a deadlock
• Admission of outmoded person's hopeless situation?
• I am old-fashioned - I permit no further progress