be hard put to (do something)
To be struggling to do or accomplish something, especially because it seems impossible. You'll be hard put to find a better guy than Bill. Come on—if we don't leave soon, we'll be hard put to get there on time.
be hard put (to it) to
find it very difficult to. 2001 Marc Blake 24 Karat Schmooze He wore an Armani suit with a navy shirt, a club tie (although the vintners would have been hard put to name the actual club) and a Freemasonry pin.