play hide-and-go-seek

1. Literally, to play a children's game in which one or more players hide while another player tried to find them. A: "Hey Jimmy, wanna play hide-and-go-seek?" B: "Sure, I'll hide first!" My daughter's elbow was peeking out from behind the curtains while we were playing hide-and-go-seek, but I pretended that I couldn't see her.

2. By extension, to be involved in a situation in which one party is constantly evading or avoiding another. The police have been playing hide-and-go-seek with the suspect all night long. It's been like a game of hide-and-go-seek trying to get a definitive answer about this issue from the governor.