It takes two to tangle OR It takes two to tango (See more…)

The correct idiomatic expression is ‘it takes two to tango.’

The phrase means that two parties are necessary for a conflict, disagreement or problematic situation to arise. Both sides share responsibility for the issue. Cooperation or mutual involvement is required for a situation to unfold.

The phrase originated from the Argentine tango dance which requires two partners moving in harmony. 

However, some people wrongly believe that ‘it takes two to tangle’ is a common variation of  ‘it takes two to tango.’ For this reason, the two phrases are mixed up.

While ‘it takes two to tangle’ is not a standard phrase, its potential origin could be linked to ‘tangle with somebody’ which implies conflict or dispute, leading to confusion with ‘it takes two to tango.’ 

Both phrases involve interaction between parties, potentially causing the mix-up. The mistaken phrase, ‘it takes two to tangle,’ is likely a case of linguistic blending or error.