wrats nest

Etymology

From wrap + rat's nest

Noun

wrats nest (plural not attested)

1. (electronics, computer hardware) Result of a manufacturing defect that causes wire to gather loosely around a post rather than winding neatly around it.
   • 1976, Carl Helmers, “Photographic notes on wire wrapping”, in Byte, number 5, page 56:

     This results in a jumbled mess as layers of wire wrap over previously wrapped layers. If the wrat's nest wrap occurs only occasionally, the likely cause is your tool position while wrapping.

2. (computing) Alternative form of rat's nest, a disorganized structure.
   • 2006 April 14, bullseye, “Student WTFs”, in Daily WTF‎:

     IMO, many CS programs have been doing their students a disservice by just making sure they can produce the intended output and get the darn thing to compile. They seem to ignore the veritable wrats nest that is underneath.

Anagrams

• neststraw