Puzzle
late 16th century (as a verb): of unknown origin.
wiktionary
Origin uncertain; originally pusle. Possibly from pose(“to perplex, puzzle, interrogate”) + -le(frequentative suffix). The verb (1590s) “to perplex” seems to predate the noun “state of being perplexed” (circa 1600), “perplexing question” (1650s), “toy” (1814). [1]
etymonline
puzzle (v.)
1590s, pusle "bewilder, confound, perplex with difficult problems or questions," possibly frequentative of pose (v.) in obsolete sense of "perplex" (compare nuzzle from nose). To puzzle (something) out "resolve or discover by long cogitation or careful investigation" is by 1781. Related: Puzzled; puzzling.
puzzle (n.)
c. 1600, "state of being puzzled," from puzzle (v.); meaning "perplexing question, difficult problem" is from 1650s; that of "a toy contrived to test one's ingenuity" is from 1814. Puzzle-ring "number of small rings intertwined inseparably with one another that can be arranged as a single ring" is by 1877.
