<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>a toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort.</li><li>something puzzling; a puzzling question, matter, or person.</li><li>a puzzled or perplexed condition; bewilderment.</li><li>a crossword puzzle: Did you do the puzzle in the newspaper today?</li><li>a jigsaw puzzle.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used with object)</strong></p><ul><li>to put (someone) at a loss; mystify; confuse; baffle: Her attitude puzzles me.</li><li>to frustrate or confound, as the understanding; perplex: The problem puzzled him for weeks.</li><li>to exercise (oneself, one's brain, etc.) over some problem or matter.</li><li>Archaic: to make intricate or complicated.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used without object)</strong></p><ul><li>to be perplexed or confused.</li><li>to ponder or study over some perplexing problem or matter.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb Phrase</strong></p><ul><li>to solve by careful study or effort: I was unable to puzzle out the message.</li></ul>