riddling
Posing puzzling questions
Riddling has two distinct sources.
From riddle meaning a puzzling question, riddling describes speech full of hidden meanings or enigmatic hints: His riddling answers frustrated the investigators.
From riddle meaning to pierce with holes, riddling means perforating something repeatedly: Bullets went riddling through the wall.
In winemaking, riddling is the process of rotating champagne bottles to collect sediment in the neck before removal.
Puzzling and obscure
- mysteriousBeyond easy comprehension
- crypticObscure in meaning
- perplexingCausing mental confusion
- puzzlingCausing confusion or bewilderment
obscure · ambiguous · veiled · elliptical · allusive · sibylline · delphic · sphinx-like
Filtering through mesh
- screeningEvaluative selection process
- siftingSeparating by particle size
- separatingDividing into parts
- strainingExerting intense effort
sorting · filtering · grading · shaking · coarse · mesh · gravel · soil
Posing questions
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- propoundingFormally presenting for discussion
- presentingDisplaying to an audience
- challengingHard to accomplish
stumping · testing · quizzing · teasing · confounding · baffling · mystifying · foxing
Estimating without certainty
- answeringProviding a response
- decipheringInterpreting coded information
- unravelingProcess of coming undone
- figuringComputing or deducing
cracking · puzzling out · working out · untangling · decoding
enigmatic
Puzzling and obscure
- mysteriousBeyond easy comprehension
- crypticObscure in meaning
- perplexingCausing mental confusion
puzzling · obscure · ambiguous · veiled · elliptical · allusive · sibylline · delphic · sphinx-like · oracular
sieving
Filtering through mesh
- screeningEvaluative selection process
- siftingSeparating by particle size
- separatingDividing into parts
straining · sorting · filtering · grading · shaking · coarse · mesh · gravel · soil · compost
asking
Posing questions
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- propoundingFormally presenting for discussion
- presentingDisplaying to an audience
challenging · stumping · testing · quizzing · teasing · confounding · baffling · mystifying · foxing · befuddling
guessing
Estimating without certainty
- answeringProviding a response
- decipheringInterpreting coded information
- unravelingProcess of coming undone
figuring · cracking · puzzling out · working out · untangling · decoding
- winemakingwinery, winemaking, crushing, grapevines, grape vines
- mintingcoinage, minter, coiner, mintmarks, die maker
- separating methodsflour sifting, gold panning, winnowing, straining, screening
- artisan winemakingnatural wine, biodynamic, organic, small batch, hand harvesting
- winered wine, white wine, cabernet, chardonnay, merlot
- oraclesoracle, sibyl, prophetess, seer, Delphi
riddlingstraightforward
Clear and uncomplicated
direct · explicit · plain-spoken · forthright · blunt