Dogfall is a term used to describe a situation in which two opponents are equally matched and neither can gain an advantage. The term is derived from the game of tug-of-war, where two teams pull on opposite ends of a rope until one team is pulled off balance and falls. In this context, the crossword solutions DEADLOCK (8 letters) and DRAW (4 letters) both refer to the stalemate that occurs when neither side can gain an advantage.