as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain
why he chose to sink all of his money into a failing business is a real head-scratcher
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Recent Examples of head-scratcher
In what began as a head-scratcher for the players themselves, 300 tons of sand were poured into the Intuit Dome, turning the Clippers’ arena into a pop-up beach — where the L.A. Launch kept their perfect run afloat for the start of AVP League Week 5.
—
Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
And that’s why his new drug pricing strategy — while well-intended — is a real head-scratcher.
—Michelle Flowers, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
The director’s latest feature, Jimmy Jaguar, is another brooding head-scratcher, one that’s equal parts fascinating and frustrating.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
The real head-scratcher came Wednesday night when New Orleans traded up from No. 23 to No. 13 with the Atlanta Hawks to take Maryland big man Derik Queen — and gave up a 2026 unprotected first-round pick in the process.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for head-scratcher
Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
And that’s why his new drug pricing strategy — while well-intended — is a real head-scratcher.
—Michelle Flowers, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
The director’s latest feature, Jimmy Jaguar, is another brooding head-scratcher, one that’s equal parts fascinating and frustrating.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
The real head-scratcher came Wednesday night when New Orleans traded up from No. 23 to No. 13 with the Atlanta Hawks to take Maryland big man Derik Queen — and gave up a 2026 unprotected first-round pick in the process.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for head-scratcher
Recent Examples of Synonyms for head-scratcher
mystery
Noun
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These fossils are now helping to solve a mystery in paleontology.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Sep. 2025
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At the baseline, that means making sure not to let the trash can overflow and instead taking it out often, as well as ensuring spots like your trash can, sink disposal, or fridge are free of any mystery odors.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Head-scratcher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/head-scratcher. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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