2DGOa game in which you have to think hard to solve a difficult question or problem 〔需要动脑筋的〕益智游戏
a crossword puzzle
纵横字谜游戏
3[usually singular]MYSTERIOUS something that is difficult to understand or explain 难题,难解之事,谜
puzzle of
the puzzle of how the sun works
太阳发光发热之谜
The meaning of the poem has always been a puzzle.
那首诗的含义始终是个谜。
He thought he had solved the puzzle.
他认为他已经解开了那个谜。
4.piece of the puzzleINFORMATIONa piece of information that helps you to understand part of a difficult question, mystery etc 〔有助于理解难题、神秘事物等的〕信息,线索
Examples from the Corpus
piece of the puzzle• It's another piece of the puzzle.• Take me out of there, and you're taking away a big piece of the puzzle.• The finalpieces of the puzzle had now been slotted into place.• Fortunately, the next step in the researchprocesssupplied the missingpiece of the puzzle.• So he created a temporaryscaffolding to get one piece of the puzzle going.• How television has changed is one piece of the puzzle.• But what about the piece of the puzzle we have so far omitted?• All the pieces of the puzzle were in place: it was time for a little conference.
1CONFUSEDto confuse someone or make them feel slightly anxious because they do not understand something 使困惑,使迷惑
a question that continues to puzzle scientists
一直困扰科学家的问题
He was puzzled by the reactions to his remark.
他对自己的话引起的反应感到困惑不解。
What puzzles me is why his books are so popular.
令我不解的是,他的书为什么如此受欢迎。
2puzzle something ↔ outphrasal verbphr vSOLVE/FIND THE ANSWERto solve a confusing or difficult problem by thinking about it carefully 仔细考虑解决〔难题等〕
He lay looking at the ceiling, trying to puzzle things out.
他躺在那里盯着天花板,想要弄明白是怎么回事。
Examples from the Corpus
puzzle out• Eight-twenty the cards and puzzles go out...• He lay in bed, for some time, and stared up at the ceiling trying to puzzle it out.• A puzzle solved itself out here.
3puzzle over somethingphrasal verbphr vto think for a long time about something because you cannot understand or solve it 仔细琢磨,冥思苦想
The class puzzled over a poem by Shakespeare.
全班同学仔细琢磨着莎士比亚的一首诗。
Examples from the Corpus
puzzle over • Her mind was taken up with puzzling over a fact which had become increasingly clear the longer she stayed in the apartment.• They come to the university with limitedexperience in applyingknowledge, puzzling oversolutions, solving problems.• It was only when the young man moved away in this fashion that George began to puzzle over the incident.• As she walked, her mind was still puzzling over the mystery of Moloch's peculiarecology.• She was still puzzling over the problem when she saw Joanna's car coming towards her.• He puzzled over these for the few seconds of his silentapproach, then realized what they were.• He leaves them to puzzle over this problem while he moves on to another group.• Others, too, puzzle over what to call the person who used to be a manager.
Examples from the Corpus
puzzle• Astronomers continue to be puzzled by the existence of blackholes.• Flora was puzzled by this exchange.• The men are recalled with a deliberate and puzzlingemotionalinconsistency.• Her unwillingness to answer any of his questions puzzled him.• What puzzles me about the robbery, is how they managed to enter the building unseen.• There are things that still puzzle me about this new computer system.• What puzzles me is why she doesn't just leave him.• What puzzled me was how Mrs Witherspoon fit into the setup.• It was only when the young man moved away in this fashion that George began to puzzle over the incident.• As she walked, her mind was still puzzling over the mystery of Moloch's peculiarecology.• Carroll was puzzled over the way Protestants who had always feared priests could now demand his services.• Initially, the taxi driver was puzzled when we asked to be driven to Shantinagar.