---
title: puzzle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «puzzle» in the school dictionary: A puzzle is a game or problem you solve by thinking, like a jigsaw with many pieces, a crossword or a riddle. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# puzzle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** puzzle, you, cat, He, Grandpa, Sudoku · **What happens:** be, solve, think, understand, go, wonder · **To what, where:** game, something, puzzle, 500 pieces, Lily, 4 puzzles · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«puzzle» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 10 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [puzzle in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/puzzle.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A puzzle is a game or problem you solve by thinking, like a jigsaw with many pieces, a crossword or a riddle.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:m1:1
# text = A puzzle is a game or problem you solve by thinking, like a jigsaw with many pieces, a crossword or a riddle.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	solve	solve	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
10	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	thinking	think	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	like	like	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	jigsaw	jigsaw	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
16	with	with	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	crossword	crossword	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	_
22	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
23	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	riddle	riddle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a puzzle | a game or problem |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **solve** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **think** *speech: other* | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | like a jigsaw with many pieces and a crossword or a riddle | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A puzzle is something hard to understand: «Where the cat went is a puzzle».

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:m2:1
# text = A puzzle is something hard to understand: «Where the cat went is a puzzle».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
5	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	Where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	13	advmod	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	csubj	_	_
14	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a puzzle | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **understand** | to-infinitive | a puzzle *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **go** *in a quote* | past | the cat |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **is a** *in a quote* | present |  | a puzzle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To puzzle is to make someone wonder or feel confused.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:m3:1
# text = To puzzle is to make someone wonder or feel confused.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	wonder	wonder	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
10	confused	confused	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | puzzle |  |  |  |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **wonder** *speech: ask* | infinitive | puzzle *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn care-88.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **feel** | infinitive | puzzle *not said here* |  |  |  |  | confused *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To puzzle over something is to think hard about it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:m4:1
# text = To puzzle over something is to think hard about it.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	over	over	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | puzzle over something |  |  |  |  | about it; hard, think *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A puzzle has 500 pieces.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:x1:1
# text = A puzzle has 500 pieces.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	500	500	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a puzzle | 500 pieces |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent piece=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Lily has put together 120 pieces of the puzzle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:x2:1
# text = Lily has put together 120 pieces of the puzzle.
1	Lily	Lily	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	put	put	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	together	together	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	120	120	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put together** | present · perfect · passive |  | Lily |  |  |  | together *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V NP PP.goal»: subject=Asset piece=Goal |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each puzzle costs $8.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:x3:1
# text = Each puzzle costs $8.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	costs	cost	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	$	$	SYM	$	_	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	8	8	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cost** | present | each puzzle |  |  |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme $=Value |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He solves 4 puzzles a day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:x4:1
# text = He solves 4 puzzles a day.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	solves	solve	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	puzzles	puzzle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **solve** | present | He | 4 puzzles |  |  | day |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent puzzle=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa does the crossword puzzle every morning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:x5:1
# text = Grandpa does the crossword puzzle every morning.
1	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	crossword	crossword	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present | Grandpa | the crossword puzzle |  |  | morning |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent puzzle=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sudoku is a number puzzle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:x6:1
# text = Sudoku is a number puzzle.
1	Sudoku	Sudoku	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Sudoku | a number puzzle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The missing cookies were a puzzle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:x7:1
# text = The missing cookies were a puzzle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	missing	missing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	cookies	cookie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
4	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the missing cookies | a puzzle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The strange noise puzzled us.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:x8:1
# text = The strange noise puzzled us.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	puzzled	puzzle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **puzzle** | past | the strange noise | us |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus we=Experiencer |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She puzzled over the riddle for an hour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:x9:1
# text = She puzzled over the riddle for an hour.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	puzzled	puzzle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	over	over	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	riddle	riddle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	hour	hour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **puzzle** | past | She |  |  | the riddle | hour |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 10 {#x10}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was quite puzzled when he reached the market-place.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:puzzle:x10:1
# text = He was quite puzzled when he reached the market-place.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	quite	quite	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	puzzled	puzzle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	7	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	reached	reach	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
9	market	market	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **puzzle** | past · passive |  | He |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |
| 2 | **reach** | past | he | the market place |  |  |  |  | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent place=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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