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   What is the difference between Puzzle and Riddle?
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   Author  Topic: What is the difference between Puzzle and Riddle?  (Read 8799 times)
balanagireddy.tcs
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What is the difference between Puzzle and Riddle?  
« on: Feb 12th, 2007, 10:59pm »
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What is the difference between Puzzle and Riddle?
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towr
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Re: What is the difference between Puzzle and Ridd  
« Reply #1 on: Feb 13th, 2007, 1:04am »
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I'd say in general a riddle has a simpler answer. And a puzzle calls for a solution rather than just an answer.
 
Although that sentiment is not really expressed in the dictionary definitions
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=puzzle
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=riddle
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Re: What is the difference between Puzzle and Ridd  
« Reply #2 on: Feb 13th, 2007, 4:52am »
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"R" has one more mark than "P".
"i" is two vowels before "u".
"z" is the sibilant form of "d".
 
I hope that helps clear it up! Tongue
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Re: What is the difference between Puzzle and Ridd  
« Reply #3 on: Feb 13th, 2007, 7:30am »
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The distinction I draw is that a riddle has a recognisable answer, but no (obvious) way to arrive at that answer from the question. A puzzle has a line of attack that lets you progress towards a solution.
 
For example, I would class a cryptic crossword as a puzzle made up of a number of riddles
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Re: What is the difference between Puzzle and Ridd  
« Reply #4 on: Feb 13th, 2007, 4:01pm »
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I concur.
 
A jigsaw Puzzle...
 
Riddle of Sphinx.
 
 
 
 
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Re: What is the difference between Puzzle and Ridd  
« Reply #5 on: Feb 14th, 2007, 10:30am »
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A puzzle is a problem that puzzles (verb, meaning :  Be uncertain about; think about without fully understanding or being able to decide) you.
 
A riddle is a problem that riddles (verb, meaning : perforate with many holes) you.
 
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Re: What is the difference between Puzzle and Ridd  
« Reply #6 on: Feb 14th, 2007, 1:04pm »
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on Feb 14th, 2007, 10:30am, TenaliRaman wrote:
A riddle is a problem that riddles (verb, meaning : perforate with many holes) you.

But according to the OED these two meanings have different roots.
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Re: What is the difference between Puzzle and Ridd  
« Reply #7 on: Feb 15th, 2007, 1:18am »
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on Feb 14th, 2007, 1:04pm, THUDandBLUNDER wrote:

But according to the OED these two meanings have different roots.

Yeah i know  Grin, but i guess i wanted to just see the pun of it.
 
You read a puzzle (without knowing its a puzzle), you realise its a puzzle, you think over it, you try to solve it, and then give up. You read a riddle (without knowing its a riddle), you never realise its a riddle, you throw the paper away thinking its an AD for some toothpaste.
 
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