puz•zle(puz′əl),USA pronunciationn., 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.
origin, originally uncertain 1585–95
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.