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Bafflement vs Conundrum - What's the difference?

bafflement | conundrum | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between bafflement and conundrum

is that bafflement is the state or result of being baffled, puzzled, or confused while conundrum is a difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answer.

bafflement

English

Noun

  • (uncountable) The state or result of being baffled, puzzled, or confused.
  • * 1920 , , The Bat , ch. 12:
  • "Have you any theory about this occurrence to-night?" She watched him eagerly as she asked the question.
    He made a gesture of bafflement .
    "None whatever—it's beyond me," he confessed.
  • (countable) Something that causes a state of confusion or puzzlement.
  • * 2005 Dec. 16, , " Best of 2005: Music," Time :
  • The cartoon characters on the front cover, the irritatingly meaningless track names . . . make it seem like a concept album about global warming for kids. Since the lyrics remain a bafflement , it might well be.

    conundrum

    English

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answer.
  • * 1816 ,
  • “Why should I understand that, or anything else?” asked the girl. “Don’t bother my head by asking conundrums , I beg of you. Just let me discover myself in my own way.”
  • A difficult choice or decision that must be made.
  • * 2004 , , statement read before being sentenced to five months in prison
  • And while I am more concerned about the well-being of others than for myself, more hurt for them and for their losses than for my own, more worried for their futures than for the future of Martha Stewart the person, you are faced with a conundrum , a problem of monumental, to me, proportions.

    Synonyms

    * (difficult question) brain-teaser, enigma, puzzle, riddle * (difficult choice) dilemma