rebus
Images spell words
A rebus is a puzzle or message that uses pictures, symbols, or letters to represent words or syllables.
The word "I" might be shown as an eye, or "before" as a letter B next to the number 4.
Rebuses appear in puzzles, games, and historical writing systems: The children solved the rebus on the cereal box.
Something hard to fathom
- conundrumPerplexing problem or question
- cryptogramCoded message puzzle
- riddlePuzzling question to solve
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
brainteaser · challenge · mind-bender · clue · solution · decipher · solve · code
Symbol using visual likeness
- pictographSymbol drawn as image
- illustrationPicture explaining something
- iconPictorial screen symbol
- imageVisual or mental likeness
graphic · hieroglyph · drawing · sketch · diagram · iconography · depiction · image-based
Wordplay using double meanings
- homophoneIdentically pronounced, differently spelled word
- syllableUnit of pronunciation
- phoneticRelating to speech sounds
- sound-alikePronounced the same way
enigma
Something hard to fathom
- conundrumPerplexing problem or question
- cryptogramCoded message puzzle
- riddlePuzzling question to solve
charade · brainteaser · challenge · mind-bender · clue · solution · decipher · solve · code · cipher
pictogram
Symbol using visual likeness
- pictographSymbol drawn as image
- illustrationPicture explaining something
- iconPictorial screen symbol
image · graphic · hieroglyph · drawing · sketch · diagram · iconography · depiction · image-based
pun
Wordplay using double meanings
emblem
Representational sign or device
- symbolRepresentational mark or sign
- representationDepiction or likeness
- signMark conveying information
allegory · figurative · pictorial · semiotics · symbolism · monogram · heraldry · device · cipher · logogram
- puzzlespuzzles, sudoku, jigsaw puzzle, puzzle cube, crossword
- word gamescrossword, Scrabble, crossword puzzle, anagram, word game
- brain gamesbrainteasers, brain teasers, logic puzzles, puzzles, crossword puzzles
- brain teasersriddle, brain teaser, logic puzzles, puzzle, brainteasers
- communication systemsalphabet, sign language, Braille, Morse code, hieroglyphics
- cryptic puzzlesriddle, cipher, code, cryptogram, enigma
- rebus puzzlePictures encoding a phrase