Definitions for puzzle
ˈpʌz əlpuz·zle

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. puzzle, puzzler, mystifier, teasernoun

   a particularly baffling problem that is said to have a correct solution

   "he loved to solve chessmate puzzles"; "that's a real puzzler"

2. puzzleverb

   a game that tests your ingenuity

3. perplex, vex, stick, get, puzzle, mystify, baffle, beat, pose, bewilder, flummox, stupefy, nonplus, gravel, amaze, dumbfoundverb

   be a mystery or bewildering to

   "This beats me!"; "Got me--I don't know the answer!"; "a vexing problem"; "This question really stuck me"

4. puzzleverb

   be uncertain about; think about without fully understanding or being able to decide

   "We puzzled over her sudden departure"

WiktionaryRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. puzzlenoun

   Anything that is difficult to understand or make sense of.

   Where he went after he left the house is a puzzle.

2. puzzlenoun

   A game for one person that is more or less difficult to work out or complete.

3. puzzlenoun

   A crossword puzzle.

4. puzzlenoun

   A jigsaw puzzle.

5. puzzlenoun

   A riddle.

6. puzzleverb

   To perplex (someone).

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Puzzlenoun

   Embarassment; perplexity.

   Etymology: from the verb.

   Men in great fortunes are strangers to themselves, and while they are in the puzzle of business, they have no time to tend their health either of body or mind. Francis Bacon, Essays.

2. To PUZZLEverb

   Etymology: for postle, from pose. Skinner.

   1. To perplex; to confound; to embarrass; to entangle; to gravel; to put to a stand; to teaze.

   Your presence needs must puzzle Antony. William Shakespeare.

   I say there is no darkness but ignorance, in which thou art more puzzled than the Egyptians in their fog. William Shakespeare.

   Both armies of the enemy would have been puzzled what to have done. Edward Hyde, b. viii.

   A very shrewd disputant in those points is dexterous in puzzling others, if they be not thorough-paced speculators in those great theories. Henry More, Divine Dialogues.

   He is perpetually puzzled and perplexed amidst his own blunders, and mistakes the sense of those he would confute. Addison.

   Persons, who labour under real evils, will not puzzle themselves with conjectural ones. Clarissa.

   2. To make intricate; to entangle.

   The ways of heaven are dark and intricate,
   Puzzled in mazes, and perplex’d with error. Addison.

   These, as my guide informed me, were men of subtle tempers, and puzzled politicks, who would supply the place of real wisdom with cunning and avarice. Tatler, №. 81.

   I did not indeed at first imagine there was in it such a jargon of ideas, such an inconsistency of notions, such a confusion of particles, that rather puzzle than connect the sense, which in some places he seems to have aimed at, as I found upon my nearer perusal of it. Addison.

3. To Puzzleverb

   To be bewildered in one’s own notions; to be aukward.

   The servant is a puzzling fool, that heeds nothing. Roger L'Estrange.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Puzzle

   A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct or fun solution of the puzzle. There are different genres of puzzles, such as crossword puzzles, word-search puzzles, number puzzles, relational puzzles, and logic puzzles. The academic study of puzzles is called enigmatology. Puzzles are often created to be a form of entertainment but they can also arise from serious mathematical or logical problems. In such cases, their solution may be a significant contribution to mathematical research.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Puzzle

   something which perplexes or embarrasses; especially, a toy or a problem contrived for testing ingenuity; also, something exhibiting marvelous skill in making

2. Puzzle

   the state of being puzzled; perplexity; as, to be in a puzzle

3. Puzzleverb

   to perplex; to confuse; to embarrass; to put to a stand; to nonplus

4. Puzzleverb

   to make intricate; to entangle

5. Puzzleverb

   to solve by ingenuity, as a puzzle; -- followed by out; as, to puzzle out a mystery

6. Puzzleverb

   to be bewildered, or perplexed

7. Puzzleverb

   to work, as at a puzzle; as, to puzzle over a problem

8. Etymology: [For opposal, in the sense of problem. See Oppose, Pose, v.]

FreebaseRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Puzzle

   A puzzle is a problem or enigma that tests the ingenuity of the solver. In a basic puzzle, one is intended to put together pieces in a logical way in order to come up with the desired solution. Puzzles are often contrived as a form of entertainment, but they can also stem from serious mathematical or logistical problems — in such cases, their successful resolution can be a significant contribution to mathematical research. Solutions to puzzles may require recognizing patterns and creating a particular order. People with a high inductive reasoning aptitude may be better at solving these puzzles than others. Puzzles based on the process of inquiry and discovery to complete may be solved faster by those with good deduction skills.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Puzzle

   puz′l, n. a difficulty to be solved: perplexity: something to try the ingenuity, as a toy or riddle.—v.t. to set a difficult question to: to pose: to perplex.—v.i. to be bewildered: to think long and carefully (with out, over).—ns. Puzz′ledom (coll.), bewilderment; Puzz′le-head, one who is puzzle-headed.—adj. Puzz′le-head′ed, having the head full of confused notions.—ns. Puzz′le-head′edness; Puzz′lement, the state of being puzzled; Puzz′le-monk′ey (same as Monkey-puzzle, q.v.); Puzz′le-peg, a piece of wood so secured under a dog's jaw as to keep his nose from the ground; Puzz′ler; Puzz′le-ring, a ring made of several small rings intricately linked together, capable of being taken apart and put together again.—adj. Puzz′ling, posing: perplexing.—adv. Puzz′lingly. [From M. E. opposaile (Eng. opposal), an objection—opposen, posen. Cf. Pose and Oppose.]

Matched Categories

1. • Ponder

How to pronounce puzzle?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say puzzle in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of puzzle in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of puzzle in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of puzzle in a Sentence

1. Presley Ann/WireImage -RRB- Sullivan:

   [Bear] and Rachel are both very healthy and recovering well and are resting, as far as the name announcement goes, we designed a puzzle to send to our family members as a fun way to announce his name and to keep us all connected duringquarantine.

2. Government Accountability Josh Archambault:

   It’s too early to tell if this will happen—there are too many moving parts, of course, we should be able to assess how different policies will affect different age groups, but you’ve got to look at the entire puzzle here, not just one piece.

3. Larry Lemke:

   I think UFO reports represent a substantive puzzle that warrants serious scientific attention, without advocating any particular position on what the answer to that puzzle is … whether it is purely psychological, purely physical or some combination of the two.

4. Immanuel Mulunga:

   All the pieces of the puzzle are coming together.

5. Filippo Alloatti:

   Both legs of the plan are potentially fragile, it will be difficult to complete such a big capital increase given their track record with past cash calls, and the securitization is a monster operation, a puzzle full of moving pieces that need to fall into place. The execution risk is significant.

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