Word of the Week: conundrum (kə-NŬN-drəm)

Definition

(Noun) Any puzzling question or problem; an enigmatical statement.

In Context

“The North’s recent belligerence poses a conundrum for China, which has long seen the poor police state as a buffer against the alliance between the United States and South Korea.”

Jane Perlez, “China Bluntly Tells North Korea to Enter Nuclear Talks,” The New York Times, May 24, 2013.