riddle

nouns

a difficult problem
brain-teaser, conundrum, enigma, riddle
a coarse sieve (as for gravel)
riddle
is a type of (narrower)
a strainer for separating lumps from powdered material or grading particles
screen, sieve

verbs

pierce with many holes
"The bullets riddled his body"
riddle
is a type of (narrower)
make a hole into
"The needle pierced her flesh"
pierce
set a difficult problem or riddle
"riddle me a riddle"
riddle
is a type of (narrower)
be a mystery or bewildering to
"This beats me!"; "Got me--I don't know the answer!"; "a vexing problem"; "This question really stuck me"
amaze, baffle, beat, bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, get, gravel, mystify, nonplus, perplex, pose, puzzle, stick, stupefy, vex
separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff
riddle, screen
spread or diffuse through
"An atmosphere of distrust has permeated this administration"; "music penetrated the entire building"; "His campaign was riddled with accusations and personal attacks"
diffuse, imbue, interpenetrate, penetrate, permeate, pervade, riddle
speak in riddles
riddle
is a type of (narrower)
transmit thoughts or feelings
"He communicated his anxieties to the psychiatrist"
communicate, intercommunicate
explain a riddle
riddle
is a type of (narrower)
find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
"did you solve the problem?"; "Work out your problems with the boss"; "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out"; "did you get it?"; "Did you get my meaning?"; "He could not work the math problem"
figure out, lick, puzzle out, solve, work, work out