Rack your brains.
Rack your brains.
To 'Rack your brains' means to think very hard and deeply in an attempt to recall or solve something perplexing. The imagery of physically straining one's brain underlines the intensity and effort involved in this mental process. This idiomatic expression is commonly used when someone is trying to come up with a creative solution, remember a forgotten detail, or solve complex problems that require deep thought. Embracing this idiom can stoke one's intellectual rigor and promote a mindset geared toward thorough analysis and creative problem-solving, essential skills in both personal and professional growth.
I need to rack my brains to solve this puzzle.
I need to think hard to solve this puzzle.
She racked her brains for hours over the challenging problem.
She thought intensely for hours over the difficult problem.
They had to rack their brains to come up with a solution.
They had to brainstorm intensely to come up with an answer.