puzzlemaster meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

puzzlemaster

noun

Etymology From puzzle + master.

Someone who designs or creates puzzles.

A few puzzles come from Sam Loyd, the famous nineteenth-century American puzzlemaster.2005, Clifford A[lan] Pickover, A Passion for Mathematics: Numbers, Puzzles, Madness, Religion, and the Quest for Reality, Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, →ISBN, page 7:
In this book, we offer you the challenge of breaking several types of real ciphers and cryptograms, all devised by noted Australian puzzlemaster Denise Sutherland (author of Word Searches For Dummies [Wiley]).2010, Denis Sutherland, Mark E Koltko Rivera, chapter 1, in Cracking Codes and Cryptograms, Indianapolis, I.N.: Wiley, →ISBN, page 9:

4 more examples

To get us to try a little harder, at dinner we played a little game that I called "Can You Say?" As Bossy Mama, I acted as puzzlemaster, and did my best to challenge the kids without ever stumping them.2013, Launa Schweizer, Home Away: A Year of Misapprehensions, Transformations, and Rosé at Lunch, →ISBN, page 67:
The first Ebola puzzle went up six months ago, and biochemists are following up on some of the virus-blocking designs developed by Foldit's puzzlemasters.2014 August 29, Alan Boyle, “Foldit Video Gamers Join the Fight Against Ebola Virus”, in NBC News, archived from the original on 19 Dec 2022:
During escape games, puzzlemasters are seated in a control room, giving players hints when they're needed. [Nicole] Chan is considered the head puzzlemaster at Trapology—she designs the challenges and puzzles for her games.2015 October 5, Madeline Bilis, “Meet Boston’s Independent Puzzlemasters”, in Boston Magazine, Boston, M.A.: Metrocorp, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Sep 2022:
Tracy Bennett — the puzzlemaster with best job in the Wordle2022 November 13, Laura Pullman, “(article title)”, in Time, London: News UK, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Nov 2022:

Someone exceptionally skilled at solving puzzles.

After eight months the musical 3-year-olds were expert puzzlemasters, scoring 80 percent higher than their playmates did in spatial intelligence -- the ability to visualize the world accurately.1996 February 18, “Why Do Schools Flunk Biology?”, in Newsweek, New York, N.Y.: Newsweek Publishing LLC, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Jan 2022:
In any case, even the puzzlemaster could find no clues in the weird notations.2009, Jeffery Deaver, chapter 25, in Roadside Crosses, London: Hodder & Stoughton, →ISBN, page 235:

1 more example

What kind of challenge? I had no idea. I sighed and looked around the warehouse. I felt like a puzzlemaster surrounded by pieces, none of them fitting together as if they were from different puzzles.2012, Deborah Coonts, So Damn Lucky, →ISBN, page 153: