throw down the gauntlet
idiom

-  to say or show that one is ready to fight, argue, or compete with someone : to challenge someone

Merriam-Webster

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PHRASE ORIGIN

The phrase "throw down the gauntlet" is a metaphor for challenging someone to a duel or other form of combat. It is derived from the medieval practice of throwing a gauntlet (a type of armoured glove) at the feet of someone one wished to challenge. The gauntlet was a symbol of challenge, and picking it up was the way of accepting the challenge.

The phrase is first recorded in English in the early 17th century, and has been used in a metaphorical sense ever since. It is often used to describe a situation in which someone is making a bold or aggressive challenge. For instance, one might say that a company has "thrown down the gauntlet" to its rivals by introducing a new product.

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Academic institutions typically throw down the gauntlet by challenging students with year-end exams:

GOD KNOWS!

While marking exam papers shortly before Christmas one year, William Phelps, who taught English literature at Yale for forty-one years until his retirement in 1933, came across a curious answer to one of his more perplexing questions:

"God only knows the answer to this question. Merry Christmas."

Phelps returned the paper with the following annotation:

"God gets an A, you get an F. Happy New Year!"

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SYNONYMS

advance a challenge, bang the drum, blow the bugle, bring it to a boil (a head), call to the mat, court a confrontation, declare open season, draw a line in the sand, go for broke, go head-to-head (toe-to-toe), initiate a clash of titans, invite a showdown (competition), issue a dare, join the fray, lay it on the line, make a call to arms, make one’s cause known, prepare for a brawl, prompt a face-off, put your dukes up, raise the challenge flag, ruffle feathers, slap with a glove, shake the tree, stand up to the plate, start a skirmish, step into the arena, stir the pot, suit up for battle, sound the battle cry, take on all comers (the bull by the horns), THROW DOWN THE GAUNTLET, throw your hat in the ring, wager a challenge

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation, say something like:

“I THREW DOWN THE GAUNTLET this Christmas by challenging my family to experience three, continuous No-Tech-Days (NTD’s) on the 27th, 28th, and 29th of December! We should put all our internet devices in a locked room and communicate the old-fashioned way for 72 hours.”

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P.S.
Today was the last OWAD of 2023!
2024 promises to be an exciting year, with lots of new words and phrases reflecting the opportunities and challenges of our fast-changing world.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Xmas, happy holidays, and a great start into the New Year.

Your,
Paul, Helga, & Jennifer

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Paul