Step 1: Understanding the Concept
The spectrochemical series arranges ligands by the crystal field splitting they cause. Strong field ligands give a large \(\Delta_o\).
Step 2: Detailed Explanation
The series runs: \(\text{I}^- < \text{Br}^- < \text{Cl}^- < \text{F}^- < \text{H}_2\text{O} < \text{NH}_3 < \text{en} < \text{CN}^- < \text{CO}\).
Among the options, \(\text{CN}^-\) is the strongest, so it splits the d orbitals the most.
Final Answer:
Cyanide causes the largest splitting, option (A).
\[ \boxed{\text{CN}^-} \]