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Puzzle vs Challenge - What's the difference?

puzzle | challenge |

As a noun puzzle

is puzzle.

As a verb challenge is

.

puzzle

English

(wikipedia puzzle)

Noun

(en noun)
  • Anything that is difficult to understand or make sense of.
  • Where he went after he left the house is a puzzle.
  • A game for one person that is more or less difficult to work out or complete.
  • A crossword puzzle.
  • A jigsaw puzzle.
  • A riddle.
  • (archaic) Something made with marvellous skill; something of ingenious construction.
  • The state of being puzzled; perplexity.
  • to be in a puzzle

    Synonyms

    * (anything difficult to understand or make sense of ): anybody's guess, anyone's guess, conundrum, enigma, mystery * (game for one person ): brain-teaser, poser * (crossword puzzle ): crossword, crossword puzzle * (''jigsaw puzzle): jigsaw, jigsaw puzzle * (riddle ): guessing game, riddle

    Derived terms

    * Chinese puzzle * crossword puzzle * jigsaw puzzle * monkey puzzle * puzzle out * puzzle over * puzzled * puzzlement * puzzler * puzzling

    Verb

    (puzzl)
  • (label) To perplex (someone).
  • * (Henry More) (1614-1687)
  • A very shrewd disputant in those points is dexterous in puzzling others, if they be not thoroughpaced speculators in those great theories.
  • * (Joseph Addison) (1672-1719)
  • He is perpetually puzzled and perplexed amidst his own blunders.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1927, author= F. E. Penny
  • , chapter=4, title= Pulling the Strings , passage=The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.}}
  • To make intricate; to entangle.
  • * (Joseph Addison) (1672-1719)
  • The ways of Heaven are dark and intricate, / Puzzled in mazes, and perplexed with error.
  • * (William Cowper) (1731-1800)
  • They disentangle from the puzzled skein.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * puzzled * puzzle out * puzzle over * puzzle through * puzzler * puzzling

    References

    ----

    challenge

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A confrontation; a dare.
  • # An instigation or antagonization intended to convince a person to perform an action they otherwise would not.
  • #*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-11-30, volume=409, issue=8864, magazine=(The Economist), author=Paul Davis
  • , title= Letters: Say it as simply as possible , passage=Congratulations on managing to use the phrase “preponderant criterion” in a chart (“ On your marks”, November 9th). Was this the work of a kakorrhaphiophobic journalist set a challenge by his colleagues, or simply an example of glossolalia?}}
  • # A bid to overcome something.
  • #* {{quote-news, year=2012, date=May 5, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool , passage=For Liverpool, their season will now be regarded as a relative disappointment after failure to add the FA Cup to the Carling Cup and not mounting a challenge to reach the Champions League places.}}
  • # (sports) An attempt to take possession; a tackle
  • #* {{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 1, author=Saj Chowdhury, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Wolverhampton 1-2 Newcastle , passage=Argentine midfielder Jonas Gutierrez added a superb second when he surged past four challenges to fire in low.}}
  • # A summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.
  • # The act of a sentry in halting a person and demanding the countersign, or (by extension) the action of a computer system demanding a password, etc.
  • A difficult task, especially one that the person making the attempt finds more enjoyable because of that difficulty.
  • (label) A procedure or action.
  • # (legal, rare) A judge's interest in the result of the case for which he or she should not be allowed to sit the case, e.g. a conflict of interest.
  • # The act of appealing a ruling or decision of a court of administrative agency.
  • # The act of seeking to remove a judge, arbitrator or other judicial or semi-judicial figure for reasons of alleged bias or incapacity.
  • # (label) An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote. The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered.
  • (label) The opening and crying of hounds at first finding the scent of their game.
  • Verb

    (challeng)
  • To invite someone to take part in a competition.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • By this I challenge him to single fight.
  • To dare someone.
  • * (John Locke) (1632-1705)
  • I challenge any man to make any pretence to power by right of fatherhood.
  • To dispute something.
  • (label) To make a formal objection to a juror.
  • (label) To claim as due; to demand as a right.
  • * (Joseph Addison) (1672-1719)
  • Challenge better terms.
  • (label) To censure; to blame.
  • * Holland
  • He complained of the emperorfrom them.
  • (label) To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines).
  • (label) To object to the reception of the vote of, e.g. on the ground that the person is not qualified as a voter.
  • Synonyms

    *