Learn English – Word equivalent to “intellectual challenge”

single-word-requestssynonyms

Is there a word that is equivalent to the phrase 'intellectual challenge'?

Best Answer

There are many that go around this idea (paradox, theory, riddle, quandary, etc...)

However, for the aspect of "challenge," specifically, I would propose:

conundrum

1a : an intricate and difficult problem

1b : a question or problem having only a conjectural answer

This especially hits on the "intellectual" nature, since conjectural means that whatever answer you come up with cannot be 'physically' proven or tested: you just have to be right.