Unsolvable lambda term

An unsolvable lambda term has no head normal form, equivalently it is not a solvable lambda term. Capture-avoiding substitution and lambda application preserve unsolvability: until a head variable appears, head contractions proceed within the original term and cannot inspect the supplied terms.

A closed lambda term $E$ is easy if adjoining $E=M$ to the equations of beta equivalence remains nontrivial for every closed lambda term $M$. If $E$ is easy, then $ET$ is easy for every closed $T$: use the consistent equation $E=\lambda x.M$ to obtain $ET=M$. Since $I$ is not easy and solvability produces $I$ by applications, easy terms are unsolvable. The converse need not hold.