puzzle
noun
a toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort.
were puzzling
-
past progressiveof puzzle.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
“The results were puzzling because the emissions were all coming from one place,” said Scot Miller, Johns Hopkins assistant professor of environmental health and engineering.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2024
McManaman enjoyed a spectacular first season at the Bernabeu, with their march to the Champions League title as thrilling as their domestic struggles were puzzling.
From BBC ● Nov. 22, 2023
When the data first came in, the results were puzzling to the research team.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2023
That appears to be the same question Brookfield executives asked themselves when they were puzzling over how to address an inconvenient timing issue at Manhattan West.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 13, 2021
“Miss Mortimer always encouraged the girls to go for walks when we were puzzling over a difficult assignment,” Penelope thought.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
