There are 542 metaphors illustrated in our Modern Metaphors puzzle (some of them by the whimsy pieces!).
Some parts of the image may reasonably be interpreted as multiple metaphors (e.g. "building bridges" and "brick and mortar").
Here's the list (prefer to guess? You can instead guess-and-verify here).
Beach
playing whack-a-mole -- beach
bring down the hammer -- beach
cake walk -- beach
piece of cake -- beach
head in the sand -- beach
line in the sand -- beach
stick up -- beach
toe the line -- beach
rat race -- beach
race against time -- beach
dark horse -- beach
have a horse in the race -- beach
one horse race -- beach
put your money where your mouth is -- beach
bee in your bonnet -- beach
ants in his pants -- beach
time is running out -- beach
the clock is running -- beach
sands of time -- beach
house built on sand -- beach
foot out the door -- beach
wear two hats -- beach
put a hat on a hat -- beach
chip on his shoulder -- beach
cold feet -- beach
cooling his heels -- beach
big cheese -- beach
the cheese stands alone -- beach
albatross around his neck -- beach
swears like a sailor -- beach
twist his arm -- beach
colorful language -- beach
the icing on the cake -- beach
Background Hills (Right)
mama bear -- bg hills (right)
balance the books -- bg hills (right)
balancing act -- bg hills (right)
walking on a tight rope -- bg hills (right)
three sheets to the wind -- bg hills (right)
mine field -- bg hills (right)
fish out of water -- bg hills (right)
last gasp -- bg hills (right)
so hungry you could eat a horse -- bg hills (right)
beating a dead horse -- bg hills (right)
tilting at windmills -- bg hills (right)
facts on the ground -- bg hills (right)
put two and two together -- bg hills (right)
bird-brained -- bg hills (right)
do the math -- bg hills (right)
lone wolf -- bg hills (right)
howl at the moon -- bg hills (right)
in the dog house -- bg hills (right)
dog-fooding (a new product) -- bg hills (right)
he is a dog with a bone -- bg hills (right)
pot of gold at the end of the rainbow -- bg hills (right)
going around in circles -- bg hills (right)
Church area
roll out the red carpet -- church area
talking to a brick wall -- church area
speak of the devil -- church area
loose end -- church area
see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil -- church area
cherry on top -- church area
bump in the road -- church area
cart before the horse -- church area
horse of a different color -- church area
carrot and stick -- church area
little devil on your shoulder -- church area
little angel on your shoulder -- church area
hanging by a thread -- church area
Farm
running around like a chicken with its head cut-off -- farm
the feathers fly -- farm
feather light -- farm
fox in the hen house -- farm
money does not grow on trees -- farm
all your eggs in 1 basket -- farm
green thumb -- farm
walking on eggshells -- farm
trojan horse -- farm
wrap it up and tie a bow on it -- farm
look a gift horse in the mouth -- farm
think horses not zebras -- farm
a zebra cannot change its stripes -- farm
close the barn door after the horse has bolted -- farm
cook the books -- farm
lipstick on a pig -- farm
cast pearls before swine -- farm
first rodeo -- farm
why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free -- farm
the writing is on the wall -- farm
the price of milk question -- farm
6 of one, a half dozen of the other -- farm
penny for your thoughts -- farm
two cents -- farm
would not touch it with a ten foot pole -- farm
shit on a shingle -- farm
steaming pile of shit -- farm
burst your bubble -- farm
throw money away -- farm
get your foot in the door -- farm
shaving yak -- farm
wool gathering -- farm
wolf in sheeps clothing -- farm
black sheep -- farm
airing dirty laundry -- farm
hang out to dry -- farm
money to burn -- farm
cash cow -- farm
money on the hoof -- farm
spherical cow -- farm
grow the pie -- farm
the smart cow problem -- farm
roadblock -- farm
bull at a gate -- farm
scapegoat -- farm
GOAT (greatest of all time) -- farm
playing with fire -- farm
greener pastures -- farm
book worm -- farm
flash in the pan -- farm
pecking order -- farm
the rooster rules the roost -- farm
flew the coop -- farm
miss the target -- farm
target -- farm
bulls-eye -- farm
Graveyard/cliff
kick the bucket -- graveyard/cliff
building bridges -- graveyard/cliff
brick and mortar -- graveyard/cliff
just another brick in the wall -- graveyard/cliff
lay it on with a trowel (lay it on thick) -- graveyard/cliff
invisible graveyard -- graveyard/cliff
pushing up daisies -- graveyard/cliff
skeleton in the closet -- graveyard/cliff
graveyard shift -- graveyard/cliff
clock out -- graveyard/cliff
blue collar -- graveyard/cliff
dig your own grave -- graveyard/cliff
living dead -- graveyard/cliff
one foot in the grave -- graveyard/cliff
lemmings -- graveyard/cliff
bleeding edge -- graveyard/cliff
cliff hanger -- graveyard/cliff
hanging on by your fingertips -- graveyard/cliff
stabbed in the back -- graveyard/cliff
dip your toe in -- graveyard/cliff
sitting on the fence -- graveyard/cliff
cut corners -- graveyard/cliff
chesterton fence -- graveyard/cliff
end of the road -- graveyard/cliff
dominos falling -- graveyard/cliff
holy grail -- graveyard/cliff
down the rabbit hole -- graveyard/cliff
that place is a rabbits warren, you will get lost -- graveyard/cliff
bury the hatchet -- graveyard/cliff
bit the dust -- graveyard/cliff
belly up -- graveyard/cliff
fly on the wall -- graveyard/cliff
bug (as in software) -- graveyard/cliff
water under the bridge -- graveyard/cliff
third wheel -- graveyard/cliff
Hill (left)
blood from a stone -- hill (left)
light at the end of the tunnel -- hill (left)
light in the dark -- hill (left)
canary in the coal mine -- hill (left)
bringing coal to newcastle -- hill (left)
stay on track -- hill (left)
war path -- hill (left)
uphill battle -- hill (left)
loose cannon -- hill (left)
red flag -- hill (left)
king of the hill -- hill (left)
double edged sword -- hill (left)
slippery slope -- hill (left)
it all went downhill -- hill (left)
chasing the dragon -- hill (left)
breathing fire -- hill (left)
hell hole -- hill (left)
bottomless pit -- hill (left)
all hell breaks loose -- hill (left)
just one link in the chain -- hill (left)
weak link -- hill (left)
break the chain -- hill (left)
bat out of hell -- hill (left)
sisyphean task -- hill (left)
dead cat bounce -- hill (left)
Market
bullshit -- market
bull market -- market
red tape -- market
glass half full -- market
when life gives you lemons, make lemonade -- market
drink the kool aid -- market
monkey business -- market
invisible hand -- market
chalk it up -- market
ghost writer -- market
bear market -- market
no such thing as a free lunch -- market
selling like hot cakes -- market
put your money on the table -- market
chained to the desk -- market
finger in the pie -- market
cash in hand -- market
uncle sam -- market
sherlock -- market
grim reaper -- market
santa claus -- market
Orchard - floor
carved in stone -- orchard - floor
copy cat -- orchard - floor
cat among the pigeons -- orchard - floor
a bird in hand worth more than two in the bush -- orchard - floor
herding cats -- orchard - floor
that is a bit of a stretch -- orchard - floor
cat out of the bag -- orchard - floor
jump the gun -- orchard - floor
smoking gun -- orchard - floor
get the ball rolling -- orchard - floor
a rolling stone gathers no moss -- orchard - floor
on the ball -- orchard - floor
crying over spilled milk -- orchard - floor
cat who got the cream -- orchard - floor
lapping it up -- orchard - floor
late bloomer -- orchard - floor
3d chess -- orchard - floor
playing chess not checkers -- orchard - floor
when the cats away the mice will play -- orchard - floor
barking up the wrong tree -- orchard - floor
marking your territory -- orchard - floor
Orchard - trees
not see the forest for the trees -- orchard - trees
low hanging fruit -- orchard - trees
big apple -- orchard - trees
cherry picking -- orchard - trees
fat cat -- orchard - trees
scaredy cat -- orchard - trees
queen bee -- orchard - trees
hive of activity -- orchard - trees
birds and the bees -- orchard - trees
hornets nest -- orchard - trees
bee hive -- orchard - trees
busy bees -- orchard - trees
birds eye view -- orchard - trees
purple squirrel -- orchard - trees
bad apple -- orchard - trees
worm in the apple -- orchard - trees
coloring outside the lines -- orchard - trees
love nest -- orchard - trees
empty nest -- orchard - trees
out on a limb -- orchard - trees
Pond
sitting duck -- pond
milkshake duck -- pond
busy beaver -- pond
stop and smell the roses -- pond
big fish in a little pond -- pond
black swan -- pond
ugly duckling -- pond
ducks in a row -- pond
wild goose chase -- pond
goose egg -- pond
the goose that lays the golden eggs -- pond
do not kill the golden goose -- pond
grass is greener on the other side of the fence -- pond
straw man -- pond
stonewall -- pond
cold turkey -- pond
push their buttons -- pond
can of worms -- pond
feeling blue -- pond
blue in the face -- pond
Road (bottom)
dead end -- road (bottom)
snake in the grass -- road (bottom)
a forked tongue -- road (bottom)
hit the road -- road (bottom)
pound the pavement -- road (bottom)
hand in glove -- road (bottom)
march to your own drummer -- road (bottom)
fork in the road -- road (bottom)
kick the can down the road -- road (bottom)
big shoes to fill -- road (bottom)
walk a mile in someone elses shoes -- road (bottom)
boots on the ground -- road (bottom)
road map -- road (bottom)
road to hell -- road (bottom)
road to ruin -- road (bottom)
go out and bang the drum -- road (bottom)
one man band -- road (bottom)
ear worm -- road (bottom)
keep your ear to the ground -- road (bottom)
Road (central)
all roads lead to rome -- road (central)
packed like sardines -- road (central)
blue bus paradox -- road (central)
in the sticks -- road (central)
catch the red eye -- road (central)
thrown under the bus -- road (central)
long and winding road -- road (central)
the Aklerlof lemon problem of information assymetry -- road (central)
running on fumes -- road (central)
backseat driver -- road (central)
red car theory (Baader–Meinhof phenomenon) -- road (central)
band aid -- road (central)
Sky (left)
shoot the breeze -- sky (left)
shoot for the moon -- sky (left)
a straight arrow -- sky (left)
a straight shooter -- sky (left)
churchillian drift -- sky (left)
armchair traveller -- sky (left)
flight of fancy -- sky (left)
sky high -- sky (left)
floating on air -- sky (left)
the balloon goes up -- sky (left)
sometimes a cigar is just a cigar -- sky (left)
night owl -- sky (left)
once in a blue moon -- sky (left)
when pigs fly -- sky (left)
parachuted in -- sky (left)
fall guy -- sky (left)
mountain out of a molehill -- sky (left)
raining cats and dogs -- sky (left)
black cloud -- sky (left)
as the crow flies -- sky (left)
lightning rod -- sky (left)
struck by lightning -- sky (left)
pie in the sky -- sky (left)
head in the clouds -- sky (left)
stand on the shoulders of giants -- sky (left)
under his belt -- sky (left)
shake hands (hand shake deel) -- sky (left)
belt and suspenders -- sky (left)
time flies -- sky (left)
high time -- sky (left)
time is money -- sky (left)
Sky (middle) / rooftops
silver lining -- sky (middle) / rooftops
olive branch -- sky (middle) / rooftops
peace dove -- sky (middle) / rooftops
war hawk -- sky (middle) / rooftops
cat burglar -- sky (middle) / rooftops
daylight robbery -- sky (middle) / rooftops
caught red handed -- sky (middle) / rooftops
grab a cat by the tail -- sky (middle) / rooftops
up in the air -- sky (middle) / rooftops
juggling a lot of balls -- sky (middle) / rooftops
juggling act -- sky (middle) / rooftops
keeping a lot of balls in the air -- sky (middle) / rooftops
drop the ball -- sky (middle) / rooftops
catch 22 -- sky (middle) / rooftops
triple witching hour -- sky (middle) / rooftops
witching hour -- sky (middle) / rooftops
hold onto your hat -- sky (middle) / rooftops
go through the roof -- sky (middle) / rooftops
lady justice -- sky (middle) / rooftops
scales of justice -- sky (middle) / rooftops
justice is blind -- sky (middle) / rooftops
does not have a leg to stand on -- sky (middle) / rooftops
compare apples and oranges -- sky (middle) / rooftops
to be on the clock -- sky (middle) / rooftops
apex predator -- sky (middle) / rooftops
white elephant -- sky (middle) / rooftops
ivory tower -- sky (middle) / rooftops
beat the clock -- sky (middle) / rooftops
turn back time -- sky (middle) / rooftops
drive me up the wall -- sky (middle) / rooftops
Sky (right)
helicopter drop of cash -- sky (right)
money does not fall from the sky -- sky (right)
cash flow -- sky (right)
castles in the air -- sky (right)
walking on sunshine -- sky (right)
ray of sunshine -- sky (right)
not rocket science -- sky (right)
rocket up -- sky (right)
go up in smoke -- sky (right)
back to the drawing board -- sky (right)
my little kid is a total Einstein -- sky (right)
leave the nest -- sky (right)
nest of vipers -- sky (right)
nest egg -- sky (right)
paint the town red -- sky (right)
written in the stars -- sky (right)
hold down the fort -- sky (right)
vultures circling -- sky (right)
rising star -- sky (right)
on cloud 9 -- sky (right)
black hole -- sky (right)
Town
people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones -- town
glass ceiling -- town
painted into a corner -- town
long arm of the law -- town
at arms length -- town
kid in a candy shop -- town
indict a ham sandwich -- town
sandwiched -- town
chewbacca defense -- town
kangaroo court -- town
white collar -- town
illegal alien -- town
dining philosophers problem -- town
round table -- town
three-legged stool (of financial stability) -- town
feast or famine -- town
get a seat at the table -- town
eat crow -- town
burning the candle at both ends -- town
a lot on your plate -- town
bootleg -- town
give someone the boot -- town
under the table -- town
fruit of the poisonous tree -- town
devil's advocate -- town
paper trail -- town
occams razor -- town
close shave -- town
shave and a haircut 2 bob -- town
swept off their feet -- town
golden boy -- town
heart jumped out of his chest -- town
rose colored glasses -- town
throw money down the drain -- town
chad -- town
meat market -- town
new blood -- town
bad blood -- town
cold blood -- town
dead meat -- town
meat and potatoes -- town
blood, sweat and tears -- town
full as a butchers dog -- town
schrodingers cat -- town
the road is paved with gold -- town
follow the yellow brick road -- town
elephant in the room -- town
out to lunch -- town
green light -- town
quick buck -- town
until the money runs out -- town
broken heart -- town
heartless -- town
burning bridges -- town
pour gas on the fire -- town
feather in his cap -- town
throwing out the baby with the bathwater -- town
born with a silver spoon in your mouth -- town
taking candy from a baby -- town
eye candy -- town
open the door (to new evidence, court-room metaphor) -- town
open door policy (at a workplace) -- town
take another bite out of the apple (legal metaphor) -- town
take a bite out of the apple -- town
rubber stamp -- town
stamp of approval -- town
keep it on the barber pole -- town
let sleeping dogs lie -- town
stars in her eyes -- town
Water
cast a wide net -- water
boil the ocean -- water
tread water -- water
head above water -- water
walk on water -- water
burn the boats -- water
carry a torch -- water
all hands on deck -- water
white hat (hacker) -- water
rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic -- water
fly the colors -- water
rats flee the sinking ship -- water
make a splash -- water
go overboard -- water
jump ship -- water
life saver -- water
wrench in the works -- water
passing ships in the night -- water
swimming against the schoal -- water
red herring -- water
big fish eat little fish -- water
big fish -- water
turtles all the way down -- water
tip of the iceberg -- water
deep dive -- water
clickbait -- water
fishing around -- water
fishing expedition -- water
spearhead -- water
get the point -- water
on the hook -- water
troll -- water
do not feed the troll -- water
sharks circling -- water
blood in the water -- water
row together -- water
rock the boat -- water
all in the same boat -- water
plenty of fish in the sea -- water
cough it up -- water
have a screw loose -- water
sunk cost -- water
heavy price -- water
diamond in the rough -- water
hidden gem -- water
buried treasure -- water
underground newspaper -- water
bury the lede -- water
Whimsy Pieces
not the sharpest tool in the shed -- whimsy
know a hawk from a handsaw -- whimsy
have a cloud over your head -- whimsy
put your head in the lions mouth -- whimsy
leopard eating people faces party -- whimsy
follow in their footsteps -- whimsy
back to square 1 -- whimsy
siren call -- whimsy
do a 180 -- whimsy
grinch -- whimsy
puppy love -- whimsy
the best laid plans of mice and men -- whimsy
cat got your tongue -- whimsy
white whale -- whimsy
hit the nail on the head -- whimsy
too many chefs in the kitchen (too many chefs spoil the soup) -- whimsy
to be a pig -- whimsy
you must be pulling my leg -- whimsy
just killing time -- whimsy
take a stab at it -- whimsy
grab the bull by the horns -- whimsy
tempest in a tea cup -- whimsy
keys to the castle -- whimsy
steady and slow wins the race -- whimsy
under the weather -- whimsy
maxwell demon -- whimsy
a free hand -- whimsy
jump through hoops -- whimsy
counting your chickens before they hatch -- whimsy
break a leg -- whimsy
under his thumb -- whimsy
wash my hands of this mess -- whimsy
pull a rabbit out of a hat -- whimsy
caught with his pants down -- whimsy
he is an open book -- whimsy
knight in shining armor -- whimsy
dog whistle -- whimsy
do a 360 -- whimsy
circle back -- whimsy
deal with the devil -- whimsy
shot in the arm -- whimsy
strong arm -- whimsy
reach for the stars -- whimsy
two-faced -- whimsy
takes two to tango -- whimsy