puzzle

Origin uncertain; originally pusle. Possibly from pose (“to perplex, puzzle, interrogate”) +‎ -le (frequentative suffix). The verb (1590s) “to perplex” seems to predate the noun “state of being perplexed” (circa 1600), “perplexing question” (1650s), “toy” (1814).[1]

• enPR: pŭzʹəl, IPA^(key): /ˈpʌzəl/

• Rhymes: -ʌzəl

puzzle (plural puzzles)

1. Anything that is difficult to understand or make sense of.

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

2. A game for one or more people that is more or less difficult to work out or complete.
3. A crossword puzzle.
4. A jigsaw puzzle.
5. A riddle.
6. (archaic) Something made with marvellous skill; something of ingenious construction.
7. The state of being puzzled; perplexity.

   to be in a puzzle

• (anything difficult to understand or make sense of): anybody's guess, anyone's guess, conundrum, enigma, mystery
• (game for one person): brain-teaser, poser
• (crossword puzzle): crossword, crossword puzzle
• (jigsaw puzzle):: jigsaw, jigsaw puzzle
• (riddle): guessing game, riddle

puzzle (third-person singular simple present puzzles, present participle puzzling, simple past and past participle puzzled)

1. (transitive) To perplex (someone).
   • (Can we date this quote?) Henry More

     A very shrewd disputant in those points is dexterous in puzzling others, if they be not thoroughpaced speculators in those great theories.

   • (Can we date this quote?) Joseph Addison

     He is perpetually puzzled and perplexed amidst his own blunders.

   • 1927, F. E. Penny, chapter 4, in Pulling the Strings:

     The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.

2. (intransitive) To think long and carefully, in bewilderment.

   We puzzled over the curious-shaped lock, but were unable to discover how the key should be inserted.

3. (transitive) To make intricate; to entangle.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Joseph Addison

     The ways of Heaven are dark and intricate, / Puzzled in mazes, and perplexed with error.

   • (Can we date this quote?) William Cowper

     They disentangle from the puzzled skein.

• See also Thesaurus:confuse

• puzzlement

• puzzel

Borrowed from English puzzle.[1]

• IPA^(key): /ˈpazl̩/, /ˈput͡sle/

puzzle m

1. jigsaw puzzle

Also used as an indeclinable noun of various genders, most often neuter.[2]

Although the correct pronunciation of this word, which has been borrowed from English, is /ˈpazl̩/, another common informal pronunciation is /ˈput͡sle/, which is a hyperforeignism, trying to apply either Italian (as in pizza) or more probably German pronunciation rules.[3] However, both Italian and German pronunciation of the word puzzle is different.

Borrowed from English puzzle.

• IPA^(key): /pœ.zœl/, /pœzl/

• audio

  (file)

puzzle m (plural puzzles)

1. jigsaw puzzle

• “puzzle” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Borrowed from English puzzle.

puzzle m (invariable)

1. jigsaw puzzle
2. (by extension) A difficult problem

• puzle

Borrowed from English puzzle.

IPA^(key): (Latin America) /ˈpusle/, [ˈpusle]

puzzle m (plural puzzles)

1. jigsaw puzzle