metapuzzle

M3E1T1A1P3U1Z10Z10L1E1

noun

A compound puzzle formed by several lesser puzzles. In contrast to a regular puzzle, a metapuzzle is missing data that is essential to solving it, and which can only be obtained by solving other sometimes entirely unrelated puzzles. Metapuzzles are frequently used in puzzlehunts.

OriginEnglish puzzle ← Ancient Greek μετᾰ- (metă-) ← Proto-Indo-European *meth₂? →
Scrabble 32
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Meanings

nounmetapuzzle (plural metapuzzles)

plural metapuzzles · alternative meta-puzzle

  1. A compound puzzle formed by several lesser puzzles. In contrast to a regular puzzle, a metapuzzle is missing data that is essential to solving it, and which can only be obtained by solving other sometimes entirely unrelated puzzles. Metapuzzles are frequently used in puzzlehunts.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*me
  2. Proto-Indo-European*meth₂?
  3. Ancient Greekμετᾰ́ (metắ)
  4. Ancient Greekμετᾰ- (metă-)
  5. Englishmeta-
  6. Englishpuzzle
  7. Englishmetapuzzle

From meta- + puzzle.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

metapuzzle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metapuzzle

MLA

“metapuzzle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metapuzzle. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “metapuzzle,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metapuzzle.

Source: metapuzzle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.