conundrum

American  

[kuh-nuhn-druhm] / kəˈnʌn drəm /

noun

1. a riddle, the answer to which involves a pun or play on words, as What is black and white and read all over? A newspaper.

2. anything that puzzles.

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conundrum British  

/ kəˈnʌndrəm /

noun

1. a riddle, esp one whose answer makes a play on words

2. a puzzling question or problem

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Etymology

Origin of conundrum

First recorded in 1590–1600; pseudo-Latin word of obscure origin

Explanation

The tricky word conundrum is used to describe a riddle or puzzle, sometimes including a play on words or pun. One of the most famous conundrums is the riddle of the Sphinx, famously in the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Oedipus encounters the Sphinx, a mythical beast, who asks him, "What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?" The answer is "A person": crawling as a child, walking as an adult, and using a cane in old age. The scary thing is that if the Sphinx asked you the riddle and you didn't know, she'd eat you!

Example Sentences

Another conundrum involves the disappearance of a swimming instructor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

"Until recently, while stellar rotation was thought to be part of solving this conundrum, limited computing abilities prevented us from quantitatively testing the hypothesis," says Falk Herwig, principal investigator and director of ARC.

From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026

That presents the Fed with a classic conundrum, especially given its dual mandate of maintaining maximum employment and low inflation.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

And while so many people out there would love to find themselves with an extra $21,000, I understand your conundrum.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

Vivid to me, and a seeming conundrum, was the refusal of my inmate to submit to a strip-frisk.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Related Words

• enigma
• mystery
• riddle