brainteaser

[ breyn-tee-zer ]

noun

1. a puzzle or problem whose solution requires great ingenuity.

Word History and Origins

Origin of brainteaser¹

First recorded in 1920–25; brain + tease + -er ¹( def )

Example Sentences

They are all elements of an annual brainteaser for UK school children set by the nation's spy agency.

From BBC

For the more numerically minded, the next brainteaser may be more appealing...

From BBC

It is less about creating the perfect brainteaser and more about showcasing a flawed family with outsize personalities.

From Los Angeles Times

Rob Tanenbaum put together a playlist of 10 of his best-known songs, and Jon Pareles wrote a lovely appraisal that begins with quite a musical brainteaser: “Has there ever been a more purely likable pop figure than Tony Bennett?”

From New York Times

It turns out that if you want to solve a brainteaser, it helps to have a brain.

From Scientific American

Related Words

• conundrum
• enigma
• problem
• question
• riddle
• secrecy
• subtlety
• thriller