Synonyms of puzzle

puzzle 1 of 3

noun

as in mystery

something hard to understand or explain

the final fate of the colonists at Roanoke remains a puzzle to this very day

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mystery
• enigma
• riddle
• conundrum
• problem
• why
• secret
• puzzlement
• mystification
• closed book
• challenge
• head-scratcher
• matter
• brainteaser
• perplexity
• poser
• trouble
• stumper
• case
• knot

puzzle

2 of 3

verb (1)

ˈpə-zəl 

as in to baffle

to throw into a state of mental uncertainty

it is the cause of the disease that puzzles doctors

Synonyms & Similar Words

• baffle
• perplex
• confuse
• bewilder
• maze
• pose
• mystify
• muddle
• rattle
• fox
• vex
• befuddle
• flummox
• discombobulate
• bemuse
• confound
• bother
• gravel
• embarrass
• fluster
• fuddle
• addle
• buffalo
• bamboozle
• get
• disturb
• stun
• disorient
• muddy
• upset
• beat
• befog
• blow one's mind
• stick
• stump
• distress
• unsettle
• go to one's head
• disconcert
• nonplus
• trick
• discomfort
• weird out
• faze
• agitate
• disquiet
• hoax
• discomfit
• snow
• mortify
• deceive
• abash
• unhinge
• discountenance
• perturb
• dismay
• discompose
• fool
• chagrin
• gull
• humbug
• delude
• mislead
• string along
• dupe
• take in
• beguile
• hoodwink
• cozen
• misguide

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• assure
• satisfy
• inform
• reassure
• enlighten

puzzle (out)

3 of 3

verb (2)

as in to solve

to find an answer for through reasoning

I was able to puzzle out the riddle in a fairly short time

Synonyms & Similar Words

• solve
• unravel
• answer
• figure out
• resolve
• work out
• riddle (out)
• work
• dope (out)
• crack
• decipher
• conclude
• straighten (out)
• decide
• unriddle
• break
• clear (up)
• infer
• gather
• judge
• guess
• iron out
• deduce
• reason
• divine
• assume
• speculate
• presume
• conjecture
• unscramble
• decode
• untie
• untangle

Examples of puzzle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Florida couple had been drinking chardonnay and doing puzzles in their Winter Park apartment. —Michelle Watson, CNN, 26 Oct. 2024

Each puzzle is carefully curated and edited by none other than NYT crossword legend Will Shortz. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2024

Verb

This company hosts puzzle scavenger hunts all over the city in iconic locations like Central Park, DUMBO etc. —R29 Team, refinery29.com, 25 Sep. 2024

Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news Ball lightning has fascinated and puzzled people for centuries. —Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 19 Sep. 2024

Phrases Containing puzzle

• puzzle (out)