n. & v.
--n.
1. a difficult or confusing problem; an enigma.
2 a problem or toy designed to test knowledge or ingenuity.
--v.
1. tr. confound or disconcert mentally.
2 intr. (usu. foll. by over etc.) be perplexed (about).
3 tr. (usu. as puzzling adj.) require much thought to comprehend (a puzzling situation).
4 tr. (foll. by out) solve or understand by hard thought.
Derivatives:
puzzlement n. puzzlingly adv.
Etymology: 16th c.: orig. unkn.