puzzling

/ˈpə-zə-liŋ/

adjective

  1. difficult to understand or solve

puzzling symptoms

verb

  1. to offer or represent to (someone) a problem difficult to solve or a situation difficult to resolve : challenge mentally; also : to exert (oneself, one's mind, etc.) over such a problem or situation

  2. complicate, entangle

  3. to solve with difficulty or ingenuity

puzzle perplex bewilder distract nonplus confound dumbfound mean to baffle and disturb mentally. puzzle implies existence of a problem difficult to solve. perplex adds a suggestion of worry and uncertainty especially about making a necessary decision.

phrasal verb

  1. to understand or find (something, such as the answer to a difficult problem) by careful thinking

She puzzled out the meaning of the strange phrase.