From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpuzzle over something phrasal verbto think for a long time about something because you cannot understand or solve it The class puzzled over a poem by Shakespeare. → puzzle→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
puzzle over • Her mind was taken up with puzzling over a fact which had become increasingly clear the longer she stayed in the apartment.• They come to the university with limited experience in applying knowledge, puzzling over solutions, solving problems.• It was only when the young man moved away in this fashion that George began to puzzle over the incident.• As she walked, her mind was still puzzling over the mystery of Moloch's peculiar ecology.• She was still puzzling over the problem when she saw Joanna's car coming towards her.• He puzzled over these for the few seconds of his silent approach, then realized what they were.• He leaves them to puzzle over this problem while he moves on to another group.• Others, too, puzzle over what to call the person who used to be a manager. 