puzzle

puz·zle

 (pŭz′əl)

n.

1. Something, such as a game, toy, or problem, that requires ingenuity and often persistence in solving or assembling.

2. Something that baffles or confuses; an enigma: the puzzle of the author's true identity.

3. The condition of being perplexed; bewilderment: I'm really in a puzzle over how this happened.

v. puz·zled, puz·zling, puz·zles

v.tr.

1. To baffle or confuse mentally by presenting or being a difficult problem or matter. See Synonyms at perplex.

2. To clarify or solve (something confusing) by reasoning or study: He puzzled out the significance of the statement.

v.intr.

1. To be perplexed.

2. To ponder over a problem in an effort to solve or understand it.

---

[Origin unknown.]

---

puz′zler n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

puzzle

(ˈpʌzəl)

vb

1. to perplex or be perplexed

2. (foll by: over) to attempt the solution (of); ponder (about): he puzzled over her absence.

3. (usually foll by: out) to solve by mental effort: he puzzled out the meaning of the inscription.

n

4. a person or thing that puzzles

5. a problem that cannot be easily or readily solved

6. the state or condition of being puzzled

7. (Games, other than specified) a toy, game, or question presenting a problem that requires skill or ingenuity for its solution. See jigsaw puzzle, Chinese puzzle

[C16: of unknown origin]

ˈpuzzling adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

puz•zle

(ˈpʌz əl)

n., v. -zled, -zling. n.

1. a toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort.

2. a puzzling question, matter, or person.

3. a puzzled or perplexed condition.

v.t.

4. to mystify; confuse; baffle.

5. to exercise (oneself, one's brain, etc.) over some problem or matter.

v.i.

6. to ponder over some perplexing problem or matter.

7. puzzle out, to solve by careful study or effort.

[1585–95; orig. uncertain]

puz′zled•ly, adv.

puz′zle•ment, n.

puz′zler, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

puzzle

• rebus - A puzzle in which one must decode a message consisting of pictures representing syllables and words.
• puzzle - Comes from Old French opposaile, "thing set before one," "bewildering thing"; as a verb, it first meant "be beset by difficulties."
• cabobble - To mystify, puzzle, or confuse.
• word search - A puzzle consisting of letters arranged in a grid which contains a number of hidden words written in various directions.

Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

puzzle

Past participle: puzzled
Gerund: puzzling

Imperative

puzzle

puzzle

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	puzzle - a particularly baffling problem that is said to have a correct solution; "he loved to solve chessmate puzzles"; "that's a real puzzler" mystifier, puzzler, teaser problem - a question raised for consideration or solution; "our homework consisted of ten problems to solve" sudoku - a number puzzle in which the numbers 1 through 9 must be placed into a grid of cells so that each row or column contains only one of each number acrostic, word square - a puzzle where you fill a square grid with words reading the same down as across
	2.	puzzle - a game that tests your ingenuity Chinese puzzle - intricate or ingenious puzzle consisting of boxes within boxes game - the game equipment needed in order to play a particular game; "the child received several games for his birthday" jigsaw puzzle - a puzzle that requires you to reassemble a picture that has been mounted on a stiff base and cut into interlocking pieces tangram - a Chinese puzzle consisting of a square divided into seven pieces that must be arranged to match particular designs crossword, crossword puzzle - a puzzle in which words corresponding to numbered clues are to be found and written in to squares in the puzzle
Verb	1.	puzzle - 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" bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, baffle, mystify, nonplus, perplex, stupefy, amaze, gravel, vex, pose, stick, beat, get stump, mix up - cause to be perplexed or confounded; "This problem stumped her" befuddle, confound, confuse, discombobulate, fox, bedevil, fuddle, throw - be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly; "These questions confuse even the experts"; "This question completely threw me"; "This question befuddled even the teacher" riddle - set a difficult problem or riddle; "riddle me a riddle" elude, escape - be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by; "What you are seeing in him eludes me" puzzle over - try to solve figure out, puzzle out, solve, lick, work out, work - find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of; "did you solve the problem?"; "Work out your problems with the boss"; "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out"; "did you get it?"; "Did you get my meaning?"; "He could not work the math problem"
	2.	puzzle - be uncertain about; think about without fully understanding or being able to decide; "We puzzled over her sudden departure" meditate, mull, mull over, muse, ponder, chew over, think over, excogitate, reflect, ruminate, speculate, contemplate - reflect deeply on a subject; "I mulled over the events of the afternoon"; "philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years"; "The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

puzzle

verb

1. perplex, beat (slang), confuse, baffle, stump, bewilder, confound, mystify, faze, flummox, bemuse, nonplus What puzzles me is why nobody has complained before now.

noun

1. problem, riddle, maze, labyrinth, question, conundrum, teaser, poser, brain-teaser (informal) a word puzzle

2. mystery, problem, paradox, enigma, conundrum the puzzle of why there are no Stone Age cave paintings in Britain

puzzle over something think about, study, wonder about, mull over, muse on, think hard about, ponder on, brood over, ask yourself about, cudgel or rack your brains puzzling over the complexities of Shakespeare's verse

puzzle something out solve, work out, figure out, unravel, see, get, crack, resolve, sort out, clear up, decipher, think through, suss (out) (slang), get the answer of, find the key to, crack the code of I stared at the symbols, trying to puzzle out their meaning.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

puzzle

verb

To cause to be unclear in mind or intent:

addle, befuddle, bewilder, confound, confuse, discombobulate, dizzy, fuddle, jumble, mix up, muddle, mystify, perplex.

Informal: throw.

Idiom: make one's head reel.

phrasal verb
puzzle out

To find the key to (a code, for example):

break, crack, decipher, decrypt.

noun

Anything that arouses curiosity or perplexes because it is unexplained, inexplicable, or secret:

conundrum, enigma, mystery, perplexity, puzzler, riddle.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

لُغْزلُغْز، اُحْجِيَهمُشْكِلَهيُرْبِك، يُحَيِّريُفَكِّرُ مَلِيَّا

hádankahlavolamlámat si hlavuzáhadazmást

gådegruble overpuslespilforundreforvirre

RätselPuzzlesich den Kopf zerbrechenverwirren

γρίφος

rompecabezasenigmaromperse la cabezaconfundirdejar perplejo

arvoitusaskarruttaapähkinäpulmatehtävä

énigmecasse-têteconsternerdevinetteessayer de résoudre

zagonetkazbunitismesti

rejtvényfejtörést okozpuzzle

òraut; krossgáta; pússluspilráîgátavalda heilabrotum, ruglavelta fyrir sér

puzzleenigmarompicaposcervellarsisconcertante

難問

난문제

dėstasgalvosūkiskibučiaistebintisunkiai suvokiamas

apmulsinātgrūts uzdevumslauzīt galvumīkla

mysteriepuzzelraadsel

puslespillvolde hodebry

łamigłówka

charadaenigma

головоломказагадкапазл

križankasestavljankaugankazmesti

pussel

ปริศนา

bilmecebulmacakafa yormak/patlatmakkafasını karıştırmakmuamma

vấn đề khó

使迷惑冥思苦想测验智力的游戏或玩具纵横字谜谜

puzzle

[ˈpʌzl]

A. N

1. (= game, jigsaw) → rompecabezas m inv; (= crossword) → crucigrama m

2. (= mystery) → misterio m, enigma m; (= riddle) → acertijo m, adivinanza f
it's a real puzzle → es un verdadero misterio or enigma

B. VT → dejar perplejo, desconcertar
that properly puzzled him → eso lo dejó totalmente perplejo

C. VI to puzzle about or over → dar vueltas (en la cabeza) a

D. CPD puzzle book N → libro m de puzzles

puzzle out VT + ADV to puzzle sth out → descifrar algo
we're still trying to puzzle out why he did it → seguimos tratando de comprender por qué lo hizo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

puzzle

[ˈpʌz^əl]

n

(= mystery) → énigme f, mystère m

(= game) → casse-tête m inv
a book of puzzles → un recueil de casse-tête

(also crossword puzzle) → grille f de mots croisés

(= jigsaw) → puzzle m
the final piece of the puzzle → la dernière pièce du puzzle
With this discovery, the final piece of the puzzle fell into place → Avec cette découverte, la dernière pièce du puzzle s'est mise en place.

vt [+ person] → dérouter, rendre perplexe

vi → se creuser la tête
to puzzle over sth → chercher à comprendre qchpuzzle book n → recueil m de casse-têtes

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

puzzle

n

(= wordgame etc) → Rätsel nt; (= toy) → Geduldsspiel nt; (= jigsaw) → Puzzle(spiel) nt; books of puzzles or puzzle books for children → Rätselbücher pl → für Kinder

(= mystery) → Rätsel nt; it’s a puzzle to me → es ist mir ein Rätsel

vt

(= baffle) → verblüffen; to be puzzled about something → sich über etw (acc) → im Unklaren sein; the authorities are puzzled → die Behörden stehen vor einem Rätsel

to puzzle something out → etw (her)austüfteln

vi to puzzle about or over something → sich (dat) → über etw (acc) → den Kopf zerbrechen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

puzzle

[ˈpʌzl]

1. n

a. (game) → rompicapo; (word game) → rebus m inv; (crossword) → parole fpl incrociate, cruciverba m inv; (riddle) → indovinello; (jigsaw puzzle) → puzzle m inv

b. (mystery) → enigma m, mistero
it's a puzzle to me how it happened → non so come sia successo, per me resta un enigma

2. vt → lasciar perplesso/a

puzzle out vt + adv (problem) → risolvere; (mystery, person, attitude) → capire; (writing, instructions) → decifrare; (answer, solution) → trovare
I'm trying to puzzle out why → sto cercando di scoprire il perché

puzzle over puzzle about vt + adv (sb's actions) → cercare di capire; (mystery, problem) → cercare di risolvere

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

puzzle

(ˈpazl) verb

1. to perplex, baffle or bewilder. The question puzzled them; What puzzles me is how he got here so soon. verbaas, verbyster يُرْبِك، يُحَيِّر озадачавам desorientar zmást verwirren forvirre; forundre προβληματίζω, φέρνω σε σύγχυση dejar perplejo, confundir, extrañar hämmeldama گیج کردن kummastuttaa rendre perplexe לְהָווֹת חִידָה समस्या zavarba hoz; fejtörést okoz membingungkan valda heilabrotum, rugla rendere perplesso, sconcertare 迷わせる 당황하게 하다 (nu)stebinti apmulsināt membingungkan voor een raadsel plaatsen volde hodebry, forvirrezaskoczyć اريانول desorientar a nedumeri; a lăsa perplex озадачивать zmiasť zmesti zbuniti förbrylla, vålla huvudbry ทำให้งง şaşırtmak, kafasını karıştırmak 使迷惑，迷惑不解 ставити в глухий кут; спантеличувати حيراني ميں مبتلا کرنا làm bối rối 使迷惑，迷惑不解

2. to think long and carefully about a problem etc. I puzzled over the sum for hours. lank dink يُفَكِّرُ مَلِيَّا мисля quebrar a cabeça sobre lámat si hlavu sich den Kopf zerbrechen gruble over σπαζοκεφαλιάζω devanarse los sesos, romperse la cabeza pead murdma فکر کردن pohtia essayer de résoudre לְהִתאָמֵץ לְהָבִין पहली, उलझन töri a fejét memikirkan velta fyrir sér scervellarsi 頭をしぼる 머리를 짜내다 sukti galvą lauzīt galvu berfikir-fikir piekerenspekulere dumać سوچ وهل quebrar a cabeça sobre a se gândi mult (la) ломать голову lámať si hlavu premišljevati razmišljati grubbla คิดอย่างรอบคอบ kafa yormak/patlatmak 冥思苦想 ламати голову غور و فکر کرنا suy nghĩ kỹ lưỡng 冥思苦想

noun

1. a problem that causes a lot of thought. Her behaviour was a puzzle to him. raaisel مُشْكِلَه загадка enigma záhada das Rätsel gåde αίνιγμα, γρίφοςenigma mõistatus موضوع گیج کننده؛ معما arvoitus énigmeתעלומה पहेली, उलझन rejtély teka-teki ráðgáta enigma 難問 난문제 mįslė mīkla; grūts uzdevums teka-teki raadselgåte, mysteriumzagadka معما، اريانول enigma enigmă загадка záhada uganka zagonetka gåta ปัญหาหรือสถานการณ์ที่ยากลำบาก bilmece, muamma 難題 загадка پہيلي vấn đề khó xử 难题

2. a kind of game or toy to test one's thinking, knowledge or skill. a jig-saw puzzle; a crossword puzzle. blokraaisel لُغْز، اُحْجِيَه пъзел quebra-cabeças hlavolam das Puzzle puslespil σπαζοκεφαλιάrompecabezas, puzle mõistatus(mäng) پازل؛ چیستان arvoitus casse-tête מִשחַק חַשִיבָה दुविधा rejtvény teka-teki þraut; krossgáta; pússluspil indovinello, rompicapo パズル 퍼즐 놀이 galvosūkis, dėstas, kibučiai mīkla teka-teki puzzelpuslespill; kryssordzagadka معما،كيسه quebra-cabeças puzzle головоломка hlavolam križanka, sestavljanka ukrštene reči pussel, [korsords]gåta เกมส์ไขปัญหา bulmaca 測驗智力的遊戲或玩具，縱橫字謎 головоломка; паззл فکر و صلاحيت کي جانچ کرنے والا ايک کھيل câu đố 测验智力的游戏或玩具，纵横字谜

ˈpuzzling adjective

difficult to understand. a puzzling remark. raaiselagtig, vreemd مُرْبِك، مُحَيِّر озадачаващ surpreendente záhadný rätselhaft forvirrende αινιγματικός, δυσεπίλυτοςenigmático mõistatuslik گیج کننده arvoituksellinen curieux מַפלִיא उलझन पैदा करने वाला, रहस्यमय rejtélyes membingungkan furðulegur enigmatico, 難解 이해가 어려운 mįslingas, sunkiai suvokiamas mīklains; grūts; mulsinošs membingungkan raadselachtigforvirrende; gåtefull zagadkowy اريانونكى،ګنګس كوونكى surpreendente enigmatic загадочный záhadný nenavaden zbunjujuć förbryllande, gåtfull ที่ยากต่อการเข้าใจ şaşırtıcı 費解的 такий, що спантеличує دشوار فہم làm bối rối 费解的

puzzle out

to solve (a problem etc). oplos يَحُلُّ مُشْكِلَه разрешавам resolver vyřešit austüfteln løse λύνω, ξεδιαλύνωresolver, descifrar ära mõistatama حل کردن ratkaista élucider לִפתוֹר हल करना, समाधान करना, हल ढूंढ़ना megfejt (titkot stb.) memecahkan teta-teki leysa (úr) risolvere 解く (문제를) 풀다 išspręsti atrisināt mendapat uitpluizenløse, finne ut avrozwiązać حلول resolver a elucida найти решение vyriešiť razvozlati rešiti fundera (lura) ut แก้ปัญหา çözmek, anlamak 思索而得其解 розібратися حل کرنا giải đáp được 思索而得其解

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

puzzle

→ لُغْز hádanka gåde Rätsel γρίφος rompecabezas arvoitus énigme zagonetka puzzle 難問 난문제 puzzel puslespill łamigłówka charada головоломка pussel ปริศนา bilmece vấn đề khó 谜

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009