puzzle out

Idioms and Phrases

Clarify or solve something, as in It took him a while to puzzle out the significance of the statement . [Late 1700s]

Example Sentences

But Maitlis says she spent years "trying to puzzle out" what the words meant.

From BBC

The prize for puzzling out the best approach could be a spot near the top of every ballot in the country this fall.

From New York Times

He even began to dislike his friends back home for lacking the powers of logic to puzzle out where he was so they could come to his rescue.

From Literature

Once they had the pseudorandom graph in place, they still had to puzzle out several pieces of math.

From Science Daily

The leader of the secretive state has never actually revealed his birthday, leaving North Korea watchers to puzzle out when it actually takes place.

From BBC

Related Words

• agree
• answer
• clear up
• conclude
• deal with
• decide
• determine
• fix
• iron out
• propose
• settle
• solve
• undertake
• work out