bafflers
Sources of bewilderment
Things that baffle—that confuse or perplex.
A baffler is whatever leaves you stumped: The last clue was a real baffler.
The word appears occasionally in puzzles and riddles, where stumping the solver is the point.
Inexplicable mysteries
- conundrumsPerplexing difficult problems
- riddlesPuzzling questions or teasers
- brain-teasersPuzzles requiring creative thinking
- cryptogramsEncoded text puzzles
rebuses · crosswords · anagrams · charades · wordplay · acrostics · ciphers · logic problems
Causing utter confusion
- perplexingCausing mental confusion
- puzzlingCausing confusion or bewilderment
- mystifyingCausing complete confusion
- confusingCausing mental uncertainty
disorienting · disconcerting · befuddling · flummoxing · stumping · nonplussing · vexing · muddling
Obscure in meaning
- enigmaticPuzzling and obscure
- unfathomableBeyond comprehension or measurement
- incomprehensibleImpossible to understand
- inexplicableCannot be accounted for
opaque · impenetrable · abstruse · arcane · esoteric · obscure · ambiguous · indecipherable
Deliberate deception or fraud
- misdirectionIntentional focus manipulation
- feintsMock offensive movements
- bluffsMisleads about one's position
- decoysObjects meant to mislead
diversions · red herrings · sleight of hand · illusions · ruses · ploys · gambits · stratagems
enigmas
Inexplicable mysteries
- conundrumsPerplexing difficult problems
- riddlesPuzzling questions or teasers
- brain-teasersPuzzles requiring creative thinking
cryptograms · rebuses · crosswords · anagrams · charades · wordplay · acrostics · ciphers · logic problems · sudoku
bewildering
Causing utter confusion
- perplexingCausing mental confusion
- puzzlingCausing confusion or bewilderment
- mystifyingCausing complete confusion
confusing · disorienting · disconcerting · befuddling · flummoxing · stumping · nonplussing · vexing · muddling · bamboozling
cryptic
Obscure in meaning
- enigmaticPuzzling and obscure
- unfathomableBeyond comprehension or measurement
- incomprehensibleImpossible to understand
inexplicable · opaque · impenetrable · abstruse · arcane · esoteric · obscure · ambiguous · indecipherable · mysterious
trickery
Deliberate deception or fraud
- misdirectionIntentional focus manipulation
- feintsMock offensive movements
- bluffsMisleads about one's position
decoys · diversions · red herrings · sleight of hand · illusions · ruses · ploys · gambits · stratagems · subterfuge
- puzzlerspuzzle master, brainteasers, brain-teasers, conundrums, enigmas
- puzzlespuzzles, sudoku, jigsaw puzzle, puzzle cube, crossword
bafflersclarifiers
Things that explain further
explainers · illuminators · revealers · demystifiers · simplifiers
bafflersclarifiers
Things that explain further
explainers · expositors · educators · communicators · revealers