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

The annual brainteaser aims to tickle the neurons of those hoping to work in intelligence, and comes in the form of a Christmas card, sent by the national spy agency's director Anne Keast-Butler.

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GCHQ's annual brainteaser comes in the form of the agency's Christmas card, sent by the intelligence organisation's director Anne Keast-Butler.

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

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

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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