You’re listening to Lingo Phoenix’s word of the day for April 5.

Today’s word is puzzle, spelled p-u-z-z-l-e.

puzzle /ˈpʌzəl / ●●○ verb [transitive]

to cause someone to feel confused and slightly worried because they cannot understand something

a question that continues to puzzle scientists

What puzzles me is why his books are so popular.

What puzzles me is why she doesn't just leave him.

puzzle over something phrasal verb

to think for a long time about something because you cannot understand or solve it

The class puzzled over a poem by Shakespeare.

In years without a pandemic, Americans are firmly divided into two camps: those who can’t resist a bargain and show up in-person, and those who puzzle over why anyone would risk being trampled over a discounted TV.

— Spencer Jakab, WSJ, "Black Friday Is Big in Taiwan, but Why?," 27 Nov. 2020

What remains is the challenge that entertainers, businesses, and activists alike always puzzle over: how to change a culture.

— Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Why a Disgraced Musician Is Dominating the Charts," 25 Feb. 2021

Puzzle out

With your word of the day, I’m Mohammad Golpayegani.

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