1590s, pusle "bewilder, confound," possibly frequentative of pose, v. in obsolete sense of "perplex" (compare nuzzle from nose). Related: Puzzled; puzzling.

c.1600, "state of being puzzled," from puzzle, v.; meaning "perplexing question" is from 1650s; that of "a toy contrived to test one's ingenuity" is from 1814.