puzzle box

American

noun

Psychology.

an enclosure, used in experiments in animal learning, from which an animal must escape or in which it must manipulate various devices.

Etymology

Origin of puzzle box

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

puzzle box

Squirrels should be smart enough to take the easy pickings over the puzzle box.

From Slate ● Jan. 25, 2026

Using an automated puzzle box system they developed, the team designed an experiment to test this immigration hypothesis.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 14, 2024

This puzzle box of a play conceals conspiracies inside a master conspiracy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2024

Experts from Queen Mary University of London trained a set of bees to open a puzzle box containing a sugar reward.

From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2023

Dany rode along quietly for a time, working his words like a puzzle box.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023