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 July 18, 2011
 
Word of the Week--"puzzle"
Definition--As a noun a baffling problem or a toy, game, or device that tests ingenuity. Also a jigsaw puzzle. As a verb to perplex or cause uncertainty or indecision. Also the act of pondering a problem in an effort to solve or understand it.
Discussion--Are you puzzled by the puzzle of life? Whether a noun or a verb, "puzzle" represents something to ponder or solve. A jigsaw puzzle or a Rubic's cube is a challenge to properly assemble, but less puzzling in many respects than the mysteries of life.
Etymology--Puzzle comes from pusle meaning to bewilder or confound. Although its origins are unclear, it is possibly a form of pose, as nuzzle is of nose.
Many of the languages below show similar roots for noun form and other roots, such as enigma, perplex, and confound for the verb form. Foreign Translations Noun
Verb
Dutch:
puzzel (de)
voor een raadsel zetten
French:
casse-tête (m), puzzle (m)
rendre perplexe
German:
Puzzlespiel (nt)
verwirren
Italian:
puzzle
sconcertare
Spanish:
puzzle, rompecabezas
dejar perplejo, desconcertado, extrañado
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