head–scratching

a state of mental uncertainty poorly worded instructions that must have resulted in a lot of head-scratching Synonyms bafflement, bamboozlement, befuddlement, bemusement, bewilderedness, bewilderment, confusedness, discombobulation, distraction, fog, head-scratching, maze [chiefly dialect], muddle, mystification, perplexity, puzzlement, tangle, whirlRelated Words abashment, discomfiture, disconcertment, embarrassment, mortification; agitation, chagrin, discomfort, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturbance, perturbation, upset; bother, commotion, dither, flurry, fluster, fuss, stew, turmoilNear Antonyms assurance, certainty, certitude, confidence, conviction, positiveness, sureness