The term 'be up against' can be summarized as a situation in which one is facing a challenge or obstacle. The crossword solution for this term is 'ABUT, ' which means to be adjacent to or to border on. This term is often used to describe two pieces of land that are next to each other, but it can also be used to describe any two things that are close together. In this context, it can be used to describe the challenge or obstacle that one is facing.