elusive

adjectives

difficult to describe
"a haunting elusive odor"
elusive
is derived from
elude
is derived from
elusiveness
is similar to
impossible to identify
unidentifiable
skillful at eluding capture
"a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist"- David Kline
elusive
is derived from
elude
is derived from
elusiveness
is similar to
marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft
"the artful dodger"; "an artful choice of metaphors"
artful
difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
"his whole attitude had undergone a subtle change"; "a subtle difference"; "that elusive thing the soul"
elusive, subtle
is derived from
elude
is derived from
elusiveness
making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe
"a baffling problem"; "I faced the knotty problem of what to have for breakfast"; "a problematic situation at home"
baffling, elusive, knotty, problematic, problematical, tough