puzzle

n.

1. The state of being puzzled

   bewilderment, bafflement, perplexity, puzzlement; see confusion 2.

2. A problem

   enigma, mystery, riddle, problem, question, conundrum, tangle, dilemma, quandary, issue, intricacy, maze, labyrinth, query, oracle, cabala, muddle, esoterica, secret, ambiguity, difficulty, perplexity, confusion, entanglement, frustration, paradox, puzzler, poser, teaser, brain teaser, stumper, question mark, stickler*, sixty-four dollar question*; see also difficulty 1, riddle 1.

   Antonyms answer*, solution*, development. *

3. A problem to be worked for amusement].

   Kinds of puzzles include: riddle, conundrum, cryptogram, logogram, crossword, jigsaw, anagram, palindrome, brain teaser, acrostic, charade, rebus, puzzle-ring, Chinese puzzle.

a puzzle is a situation, problem, or, often, a contrivance, that requires some ingenuity to solve or explain; mystery is applied to something beyond human knowledge or understanding, or may refer merely to any unexplained or seemingly inexplicable matter; enigma specifically applies to something whose meaning is hidden by cryptic or ambiguous allusions, or generally, to anything baffling and often mysterious; a riddle is a problem or enigma (usually in the form of a question in guessing games) that involves paradoxes; conundrum is specifically applied to a riddle whose answer is a pun, or generally, to any puzzling question or problem

puzzle

v.

1. To perplex

   baffle, bewilder, perplex, mystify; see confuse.

2. To wonder

   marvel, be surprised, be astonished; see wonder 1. See syn. study at confuse.