1 C1 neutral
To laboriously think through something complex or confusing, making progress step by step.
"She puzzled through the dense legal document, trying to understand what she had signed."
inseparable
puzzle through
C1 neutral inseparable transitive
To get through something difficult or confusing by thinking carefully at each step.
In plain English
To slowly and carefully think your way through something hard until you get to the end.
What does "puzzle through" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
To manage to solve or understand a series of connected problems or steps despite difficulty.
"The students puzzled through the advanced math problems one by one until they reached the final answer."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To work like solving a puzzle all the way through from beginning to end.
Actually means
To slowly and carefully think your way through something hard until you get to the end.
Usage tip
A less common phrasal verb. Emphasizes the sustained mental effort required to navigate something complex from start to finish, rather than simply finding a single answer. More commonly found in American English than British English.
Words that pair with "puzzle through"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
problem instructions manual argument logic maze
How to conjugate "puzzle through"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
puzzle through
I/you/we/they
3rd person
puzzles through
he/she/it
Past simple
puzzled through
yesterday
Past participle
puzzled through
have + pp
-ing form
puzzling through
continuous
Hear "puzzle through" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "puzzle through" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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