Throw a curveball

Throw a curveball

To introduce a surprising or unexpected element into a situation, often making it more complicated or challenging.

The airline's sudden cancellation of flights threw a curveball into our vacation itinerary.

The interviewer threw the job applicant a curveball by questioning their experience in a field unrelated to the position.

Mother Nature threw us a curveball with an unexpected heatwave in the middle of autumn, breaking temperature records across the region.