puzzling — English Dictionary

Adjective

1. Difficult to understand or explain; enigmatic or confusing; perplexing.

   Synonyms

   knotty

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.[…]A silver snaffle on a heavy leather watch guard which connected the pockets of his corduroy waistcoat, together with a huge gold stirrup in his Ascot tie, sufficiently proclaimed his tastes.[…]But withal there was a perceptible acumen about the man which was puzzling in the extreme.

Noun

1. Time spent pondering something confusing.

Adjective

1. not clear to the understanding

   Synonyms

   enigmaticenigmatical

   Examples

   I didn't grasp the meaning of that enigmatic comment until much later

   prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has been disputed for centuries

2. lacking clarity of meaning; causing confusion or perplexity

   Synonyms

   confusingperplexing

   Examples

   sent confusing signals to Iraq

   perplexing to someone who knew nothing about it

   More examples (1)

   a puzzling statement