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puzzle
[ puhz-uhl ]
noun
- a toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort.
- something puzzling; a puzzling question, matter, or person.
- a puzzled or perplexed condition; bewilderment.
Did you do the puzzle in the newspaper today?
verb (used with object)
- to put (someone) at a loss; mystify; confuse; baffle:
Her attitude puzzles me.
Synonyms:
- to frustrate or confound, as the understanding; perplex:
The problem puzzled him for weeks.
- to exercise (oneself, one's brain, etc.) over some problem or matter.
- Archaic. to make intricate or complicated.
verb (used without object)
- to be perplexed or confused.
- to ponder or study over some perplexing problem or matter.
verb phrase
- to solve by careful study or effort:
I was unable to puzzle out the message.
puzzle
/ ˈʌə /
verb
- to perplex or be perplexed
- intrfoll byover to attempt the solution (of); ponder (about)
he puzzled over her absence
- trusually foll byout to solve by mental effort
he puzzled out the meaning of the inscription
noun
- a person or thing that puzzles
- a problem that cannot be easily or readily solved
- the state or condition of being puzzled
- a toy, game, or question presenting a problem that requires skill or ingenuity for its solution See jigsaw puzzle Chinese puzzle
Derived Forms
- ˈܳԲ, adjective
Other Word Forms
- ܳz· adverb
- ܳz·Ա noun
- ܲ·ܳz verb (used with object) unpuzzled unpuzzling
Word History and Origins
Origin of puzzle1
Word History and Origins
Origin of puzzle1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
The second of Trussoni’s Mike Brink series, the book follows a puzzle master invited to Tokyo to try his hand opening the legendary Dragon Box, which contains a priceless Imperial secret.
The backdrop for all this high drama, adding yet another twist to this elaborate puzzle, is the administration’s ongoing Iran nuclear negotiations, which are led by Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Artefacts at the site are also adding to the puzzle of who these people were.
Phones were ringing, people were shouting at each other over computer screens, a rapidly evolving puzzle needing to be immediately pieced together.
That photograph of her holding a cigarette just so, daring the camera to reveal what she’s thinking, says it all: You will be unable to find the key to the puzzle that is me.
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