Former home secretary Charles Clarke weighed into the "it wasn't all my fault" arena of political publishing this week with his book, The Too Difficult Box, highlighting "the big issues politicians can't crack". Clarke argues the democratic system is too short-term to solve our most pressing problems, such as climate change, equality and security. It's a valid point, but why focus on big issues when there are so many small ones in the difficult box? If we addressed some of these, maybe the big ones would look after themselves.
Hangovers
It must be the most extensively researched problem in history, but if anyone's found a solution, they've been too drunk to remember it. After centuries of experimentation with pills, potions, dog hairs and fried breakfasts, the best we've come up with is: don't drink in the first place. Surely there's a better way?
Adapters
You can send an email to France in seconds but try plugging your hairdryer in there. Your iPhone's out of juice but everyone else has Samsung leads. It's a headphone jack but a phono socket. Your tiffs should be jpegs. Modern life is littered with trivial, jargon-dependent incompatibilities, all of which make the adapter a symbol of mankind's inability to get along. Eradicate adapters and world peace is a step closer.
The Sopranos
The coolest, water-coolerest show in history (up to that point), and after eight years of gripping drama it just ends, in a diner, midway through Don't Stop Believin'. What happened next? Did they live happily ever after? Did Tony get whacked? Did he go and help Michael Caine get that bus off the cliff in The Italian Job?
Lost socks
People have long given up hope of finding where all those odd socks go – and until Cern stops playing with its Higgs bosons and devotes some Large Hadron Collider time to the problem, the history of human footwear will hobble forlornly along. Perhaps a sock-matching agency is the answer? They could call it Solemates.
The World Cup
Grotesque carnival of corruption that impoverishes common folk at the expense of corporate sponsors and venal administrators. Or precious moment of global togetherness and celebration of sporting excellence? There's only one way to settle this: on the pitch. Fifa Fat Cats First XI v Migrant Worker All-Stars. It could go to penalties.
Cat cuteness
You can sell anything with a cute cat picture, from mobiles to quantum physics (Schrödinger got in on this early). You can even sell nothing: people will come just to see the cat. Clearly this points to a wiring fault in our brains. And while we're at it, what's the best way to skin one?
Kanye West
Genius or idiot? Musical pioneer or deranged narcissist? Creative polymath or celebrity psychopath? Well-adjusted person or someone who would marry a Kardashian? Somehow, all opposing opinions are equally valid on this one. We can't hope to get to the truth without some form of international adjudication.
• The 'Too Difficult' Box: The Big Issues Politicians Can't Crack, edited by Charles Clarke, Biteback Publishing. To order for £20 with free UK p&p call Guardian book service on 0330 333 6846 or go to guardianbookshop.co.uk.
