Discombobulation Trivia Quiz

Answer: Discomfiture

First of all, an explanation of the solution:

Discombobulations (D for short) 8, 2 and 4 must have 10, 12 and 14 letters respectively (as this is the only set of three word-lengths that differ by two letters from each other) and therefore D4 must be Bewilderedness. This then tells us that D3, D7 and D10 have to be the three words beginning with the letter 'P' - Perplexity, Perturbation and Puzzlement - since one of the three 'B' words has already been identified as D4. At this stage we can only identify the position of Perplexity - it can't be D3 because D7 comes before it alphabetically and it can't be D10 as that word shares the same final letter as D6. So, it has to be D7.

We can also identify D8 (which has to have 10 letters) as Bafflement, since the other two 10-letter words both begin with a 'P'. D5 also ends with 'ment' and has to be Befuddlement because Embarrassment has an odd number of letters.

This leaves Confusion, Discomfiture, Embarrassment and Stupefaction to sort out between D1, D2, D6 and D9. D1 can't be Embarrassment because it comes directly before D9 alphabetically (and Embarrassment directly proceeds D7). D2 and D6 also can't be Embarrassment because neither can have 13 letters (D2 has to be 12 and D6 has to be more than one letter shorter than the 14-letter long D4). That means D9 is Embarrassment and D1 has to be Discomfiture. The only 12-letter word left available to be D2 is Stupefaction and by elimination D6 has to be Confusion.

Finally, as D10 has the same final letter as D6 it has to be Perturbation and D3 has to be Puzzlement.

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The term discombobulation has two related meanings - it can refer to both a problem with understanding a situation and the impact this lack of understanding has on a person's feelings and emotions. Discomfiture is a word related to the latter meaning and is used to convey that a person is uncomfortable, uneasy or worried.

Answer: Stupefaction

Suffering from stupefaction or being stupefied does not imply that someone is stupid, although both terms originate from the Latin word 'stupere' meaning "struck senseless". Stupefaction can be a state of astonishment or dumbfounded shock, or it can relate to an inability to think clearly and could easily be a symptom of bewilderment or discombobulation.

Answer: Puzzlement

Puzzlement is not always a bad thing. If the situation persists then you might start to refer to it as a form of discombobulation, but sometimes a few minutes of puzzlement can be an enjoyable experience as a person strives to solve a crossword, considers the potential numbers available to fill a gap in a Sudoku or contemplates possible solutions to a logic problem!

Answer: Bewilderedness

Bewilderedness is an alternative form of the word bewilderment and suggests that a person is completely flummoxed by the situation in which they find themselves. Blank stares or wandering about aimlessly might be symptoms that suggest a person is suffering from it.

Answer: Befuddlement

While all the words used in this logic puzzle relate to a person's difficulty in understanding a situation or the emotions this causes, befuddlement originates from a very specific reason for their plight. It is believed to be an 18th or 19th century term meaning the confusion caused by drinking alcohol or taking opium.

At that time opium was commonly used in medication, but its addictive properties were not well understood - so you could say it caused some befuddlement for doctors as well as patients!

Answer: Confusion

Confusion can be both a personal experience when faced with something complicated or puzzling or a wider term to reflect an out-of-control or disorderly situation. It is also commonly used to describe a mix-up in identification, e.g. confusing a person with their identical twin.

Answer: Perplexity

While the most common definition of perplexity is the one that relates to a state of confusion or inability to decipher a problem or situation, it can also mean entanglement - particularly an entanglement of plant matter or undergrowth. However, you won't often hear people talking about a "perplexity" of tree roots as it is considered an archaic usage of the word.

Answer: Bafflement

Bafflement is a noun used to suggest that the person suffering from it has little clue about the solution to a problem. The verb form, to baffle, should not be confused with the alternate meaning of muffling or restraining something. A baffle can also be a device produced for the purpose of restricting the movement of a substance or the spread of sound or light.

Answer: Embarrassment

Embarrassment can occur for all sorts of reasons, most of them nothing to do with being discombobulated. It could be something as simple as feeling self-conscious while giving a presentation or speaking in public to a feeling of shame caused by making a mistake, committing a faux-pas or being unable to pay for something. Of course it can also be the result of being unable to solve a puzzle or answer a question - in that case you might say they were discombobulated as well as embarrassed.

Answer: Perturbation

If someone is perturbed then they are uneasy, uncomfortable or concerned. If something is perturbed then it has been disrupted from its normal course or mixed-up in some fashion. For example, the orbit of an astronomical object can be perturbed by the presence of a larger object with stronger forces of gravity or statistical data can be subject to perturbation in order to hide potentially personal or disclosive information.