this puzzles me

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "this puzzles me" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing confusion or a lack of understanding about a particular situation or statement. Example: "After reading the report, I must admit that this puzzles me; I don't see how the conclusions were reached."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

This puzzles me: Do people actually think we don't know what's here in our hotel?

The New York Times

This puzzles me, until I read F Marian McNeill's explanation: too much pressure on the dough has a "tendency to toughen it".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Of course, this puzzles me.... I've stayed at home raising Hadley for the past six years.

Huffington Post

How anyone can disagree with this puzzles me.

The Guardian - Opinion

This puzzles me.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

This puzzled me.

The New Yorker

This puzzled me, as I was incarcerated in an all-male facility.

The Guardian

This puzzled me, until I understood that he was picturing Mary as a teen-ager who chose not to have an abortion.

The New Yorker

It works its magic, again, through purely instrumental means, so we can't really call those songs, and this puzzled me.

Yale University

This puzzled me, until I realised that what they have in mind is connected to an absolute notion of time, preceding steadily without regard to anything that moves or changes in the world.

The Guardian - Books

This puzzled me, since, by and large, these were people who had by no means needed a riot to tell them that a volatile difference of circumstance and understanding had long existed between the city's haves and its have-nots, and I pressed for a closer description of how Los Angeles had changed.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "this puzzles me" to express genuine confusion or a lack of understanding, especially when encountering something unexpected or contradictory. It is best used in contexts where a simple 'I don't understand' feels insufficient.

Common error

Avoid using "this puzzles me" too frequently in your writing. Overuse can make your writing sound repetitive. Vary your expressions of confusion by using alternatives like "this confuses me" or "I find this puzzling".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "this puzzles me" functions as a statement expressing confusion or a lack of understanding on the part of the speaker. It's a declaration of being perplexed by something. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "this puzzles me" serves as a direct expression of confusion or a lack of understanding. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically sound and frequently encountered in neutral contexts such as News & Media. While interchangeable with alternatives like "this confuses me" or "I find this puzzling", it's best to avoid overuse to maintain writing clarity. Remember that the goal of using "this puzzles me" is to acknowledge a comprehension gap, prompting further investigation or discussion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

this confuses me

Replaces 'puzzles' with 'confuses', indicating a lack of clarity.

this perplexes me

Substitutes 'puzzles' with 'perplexes', suggesting a more profound bewilderment.

i find this puzzling

Rephrases the sentence to emphasize the speaker's perspective of finding something puzzling.

i am puzzled by this

Uses a passive construction to express being puzzled by something.

this is beyond my comprehension

Indicates a complete inability to understand something.

i don't understand this

A straightforward expression of a lack of understanding.

i'm at a loss to explain this

Expresses inability to explain something due to confusion.

this is a mystery to me

Indicates that something is inexplicable or unknown.

this is enigmatic to me

Substitutes 'puzzles' with 'enigmatic', expressing a sense of mysteriousness.

this is baffling to me

Replaces 'puzzles' with 'baffling', indicating a state of being bewildered or confused.

FAQs

What does "this puzzles me" mean?

The phrase "this puzzles me" expresses a sense of confusion or a lack of understanding about something. It indicates that the speaker finds something difficult to comprehend.

How can I use "this puzzles me" in a sentence?

You can use "this puzzles me" to express confusion about a statement, situation, or concept. For example, "After reading the report, this puzzles me; I don't see how the conclusions were reached."

What can I say instead of "this puzzles me"?

You can use alternatives like "this confuses me", "I find this puzzling", or "I am puzzled by this" depending on the context.

Is "this puzzles me" formal or informal?

"This puzzles me" is generally considered neutral in tone. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts, although more formal alternatives like "this perplexes me" might be preferred in academic or professional writing.