Down to the wire

When a game or contest of some sort is described as going down to the wire, it means that it is going to be so close that the outcome cannot be forecast with certainty. It appears to be a particular favourite with cricket commentators for some reason. The derivation is actually from horseracing and originates from America in the late 19th century. Before the days of photography, race officials had to judge close finishes by eye. To assist them, a strand of wire was suspended above the finishing line so that careful scrutiny might reveal which horse crossed the wire first. Of course in very close races that go right down to the wire this was a far from easy call. The expression has nothing to do with the First World War practice of advancing against the enemy’s barbed wire as often supposed.