| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | mystery |
| Synonyms: | Gordian knot, bewilderment, cliffhanger, conundrum, crux, cryptogram, grabber, knot*, mind-boggler, mind-twister, mystification, parable, perplexity, problem, puzzle, puzzlement, puzzler, question, question mark, riddle, secret, sixty-four dollar question, sphinx, sticker, stickler, stumper, teaser, tough nut to crack, twister, why* |
| Main Entry: | conundrum |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | puzzle |
| Synonyms: | brain-teaser, closed book, enigma, mystery, mystification, poser, problem, puzzlement, riddle, why* |
| Main Entry: | mystery |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | puzzle, secret |
| Synonyms: | abstruseness, brainteaser, braintwister, charade, chiller, cliffhanger, closed book, conundrum, crux, cryptogram, difficulty, enigma, grabber, inscrutability, inscrutableness, mindboggler, mystification, occult, oracle, perplexity, poser, problem, puzzlement, question, rebus, riddle, rune, secrecy, sixty-four-thousand-dollar question, sphinx, stickler, stumper, subtlety, teaser, thriller, tough nut to crack, twister, whodunit, why* |
| Antonyms: | known, understanding |
| Main Entry: | paradox |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | contradiction, puzzle |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22, absurdity, ambiguity, anomaly, catch, enigma, error, inconsistency, mistake, mystery, nonsense, oddity, opposite, reverse |
| Main Entry: | problem |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | puzzle, question |
| Synonyms: | brainteaser, bugaboo, cliff-hanger, conundrum, enigma, example, grabber, illustration, intricacy, mind-boggler, mystery, poser, puzzler, query, riddle, sixty-four thousand dollar question, stickler, stumper, teaser, twister |
| Antonyms: | solution |
| Main Entry: | question |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | controversy, doubt |
| Synonyms: | argument, challenge, confusion, contention, debate, demur, demurral, difficulty, dispute, dubiety, enigma, misgiving, mystery, objection, problem, protest, puzzle, query, remonstrance, remonstration, uncertainty |
| Notes: | a query differs from a question in that it suggests a reservation or disagreement question means to challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of; interrogate means to examine closely, aggressively, or formally by posing a series of questions to |
| Antonyms: | concord, harmony |
| Main Entry: | riddle |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | brain-teaser |
| Synonyms: | bewilderment, brain-twister, charade, closed book, complexity, complication, confusion, conundrum, cryptogram, dilemma, distraction, doubt, embarrassment, enigma, entanglement, intricacy, knotty question, labyrinth, maze, mind-boggler, mystery, mystification, perplexity, plight, poser, predicament, problem, puzzle, puzzlement, quandary, question, rebus, sixty-four dollar question, stickler, strait, stumper, teaser, tough nut to crack, tough proposition, twister |
| Main Entry: | secret |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | something kept hidden, unrevealed |
| Synonyms: | cipher, classified information, code, confidence, confidential information, enigma, formula, key, magic number, mystery, occult, oracle, password, privileged information, puzzle, skeleton in cupboard, unknown |
| Antonyms: | known, public knowledge, revelation |
| Main Entry: | poser |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | mystery |
| Synonyms: | conundrum, enigma, perplexity, problem, puzzle, question, riddle |
| Notes: | a poser is someone who sets test or exam questions or a difficult or perplexing question or problem; a poseur is a person who adopts an affected style or demeanor |