riddle
Puzzle or perforate
A riddle is a puzzle posed as a question or statement, requiring clever thinking to solve: What has hands but can't clap? A clock.
The answer typically hinges on wordplay or unexpected interpretation.
Riddle also means to pierce with many holes: riddled with bullets.
Something riddled with problems or contradictions is full of them.
Something hard to fathom
- brainteaserPuzzle demanding clever thought
- conundrumPerplexing problem or question
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
- cryptogramCoded message puzzle
rebus · cipher · stumper · teaser · poser · mind-boggler · brain-teaser · puzzler
Concealed information
cryptic · unexplained · veiled · obscure · arcane · baffling · perplexing · inscrutable
Mysterious, unreadable person
- BilboSlim dueling sword
- SamsonBiblical figure with hair-bound might
- OedipusTragic Greek king
- tricksterCunning deceiver in myth
Gollum · oracle · wise old man · folk tradition · nursery rhyme · children's game · kenning · storytelling
Reshuffled letter word
- acrosticVertically spelled hidden message
- punWordplay using double meanings
- double meaningOne phrase, two senses
- homophoneIdentically pronounced, differently spelled word
cryptic clue · wordgame · play on words · ambiguity · double-entendre · wit · cleverness · hidden meaning
enigma
Something hard to fathom
- brainteaserPuzzle demanding clever thought
- conundrumPerplexing problem or question
- charadeAbsurd or obvious pretense
cryptogram · rebus · cipher · stumper · teaser · poser · mind-boggler · brain-teaser · puzzler · head-scratcher
secret
Concealed information
enigmatic · cryptic · unexplained · veiled · obscure · arcane · baffling · perplexing · inscrutable · unfathomable
sphinx
Mysterious, unreadable person
Gollum · trickster · oracle · wise old man · folk tradition · nursery rhyme · children's game · kenning · storytelling · legend
anagram
Reshuffled letter word
- acrosticVertically spelled hidden message
- punWordplay using double meanings
- double meaningOne phrase, two senses
homophone · cryptic clue · wordgame · play on words · ambiguity · double-entendre · wit · cleverness · hidden meaning · verbal puzzle
sift
Separate coarse from fine
filter · strain · holes · mesh · perforated · puncture · colander · separate · sort · panning
- humorjoke, jokes, joking, comedy, comic
- puzzlespuzzles, sudoku, jigsaw puzzle, puzzle cube, crossword
- word gamescrossword, Scrabble, crossword puzzle, anagram, word game
- questionsquestion, inquiry, questions, query, interrogatives
- mystery fictionwhodunit, whodunnit, sleuth, murder mystery, detective novel
- Arabian NightsAladdin, Scheherazade, Ali Baba, Arabian Nights, Sinbad
riddleclarity
State of being understandable
plainness · transparency · straightforwardness · simplicity · obviousness
- speaking in riddles
- Tom Riddle
- word riddlesGames of linguistic deduction
- math riddlesProblems requiring numerical reasoning
- riddle wrapped in an enigmaUtterly baffling matter
riddles, riddled, riddler, riddling, unriddle, unriddled, riddlers, unriddling