Fersan organization

puzzle (noun, verb) past tense: puzzled

A puzzle is a toy, game, or problem that presents difficulties to be solved by clever thinking or great effort.

Puzzle also means ‘to confuse or mystify.’

puz•zle n., v., -zled, -zling.
n. [countable]

a toy, problem, or other game designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by clever thinking or patient effort:a jigsaw puzzle.
[usually singular]a question, matter, or person that is difficult to understand, figure out, or explain.

to confuse;
baffle;
mystify:[~ + object]My symptoms puzzled the doctor.
[no object]to think over some confusing or perplexing problem or matter.
puzzle out, [~ + out + object] to solve by careful study or effort:trying to puzzle out a solution.

puz•zle•ment, n. [uncountable]a look of sheer puzzlement on his face.
puz•zler, n. [countable]

puz•zle n., v., -zled, -zling.
n.

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.
a crossword puzzle:Did you do the puzzle in the newspaper today?
a jigsaw puzzle.

v.t.

to put (someone) at a loss;
mystify;
confuse;
baffle:Her attitude puzzles me.
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.

v.i.

to be perplexed or confused.
to ponder or study over some perplexing problem or matter.
puzzle out, to solve by careful study or effort:I was unable to puzzle out the message.

puz′zled•ly, adv.
puz′zled•ness, n.

2. Puzzle, riddle, enigma refer to something baffling or confusing that is to be solved. A
puzzle is a question or problem, intricate enough to be perplexing to the mind;
it is sometimes a contrivance made purposely perplexing to test one's ingenuity:a crossword puzzle; The reason for their behavior remains a puzzle.A
riddle is an intentionally obscure statement or question, the meaning of or answer to which is to be arrived at only by guessing:the famous riddle of the Sphinx.Enigma, originally meaning riddle, now refers to some baffling problem with connotations of mysteriousness:He will always be an enigma to me.
6. confound.

puzzle /ˈpʌz^əl/vb

to perplex or be perplexed
(intransitive) followed by over: to attempt the solution (of); ponder (about): he puzzled over her absence
(transitive) usually followed by out: to solve by mental effort: he puzzled out the meaning of the inscription

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

Etymology: 16th Century: of unknown origin

ˈpuzzlingadj

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