énigme

An énigme is a form of puzzle designed to be difficult to solve, typically presented as a statement or question whose meaning is concealed. Like a riddle, an énigme rewards the solver with a solution that explains the clues, though the path to the answer may be indirect or metaphorical.

Etymology and usage: The word comes from the Latin aenigma, from the Greek ainigma, meaning a thing spoken in a riddle. In French, énigme denotes a challenging problem or mystery; it is distinct from devinette, which usually refers to a playful or light riddle with a quick answer.

Forms and domains: Enigmas appear in literature, folklore, and puzzle culture. They can be short verses, prose puzzles, logical problems, or cryptic cues. In cryptography, the word Enigma is associated with the German cipher machine used in the early to mid-20th century; the term here functions as a proper noun.

Notable usage: The Enigma machine was a famous cipher device, whose breaking became a turning point in cryptanalysis during World War II and influenced subsequent understanding of cipher security and codebreaking.

See also: riddle, puzzle, enigma machine, cryptanalysis.