intellectual masturbation

Straining your thinking processes repeatedly until you hopefully find resolution in the form of an intellectual orgasm.
Wacking off theory after theory until you come to a head with a solution.

I've been working on this problem continually for some time, and my intellectual masturbation has finally led to resolution.

Jane: Did you get your homework finished?

Dick: I spent last night engaged in intellectual masturbation til I finally was satisfied. It really drained me.

33👍 66👎

spin a yarn

To tell a wild story.

To tell a bullshit story.

The children would listen to the storyteller spin a yarn about giant ants living under the school.

The great storyteller Aesop told fables that were total crap.