— puzzledly , adv. — puzzledness , n.
/puz"euhl/ , n. , v. , puzzled, puzzling .
n.
1. a toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort.
2. something puzzling; a puzzling question, matter, or person.
3. a puzzled or perplexed condition; bewilderment.
4. a crossword puzzle: Did you do the puzzle in the newspaper today?
5. a jigsaw puzzle.
v.t.
6. to put (someone) at a loss; mystify; confuse; baffle: Her attitude puzzles me.
7. to frustrate or confound, as the understanding; perplex: The problem puzzled him for weeks.
8. to exercise (oneself, one's brain, etc.) over some problem or matter.
9. Archaic. to make intricate or complicated.
v.i.
10. to be perplexed or confused.
11. to ponder or study over some perplexing problem or matter.
12. puzzle out , to solve by careful study or effort: I was unable to puzzle out the message.
[ 1585-95; orig. uncert. ]
Syn. 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.