CONUNDRUM (a word of unknown origin, probably coined in

See also:

• BURLESQUE (Ital. burlesco, from burla, a joke, fun, playful trick)

burlesque

See also:

• IMITATION (Lat. imitatio, from intitari, to imitate)

imitation of scholastic Latin, as "

See also:

• HOCUS

hocus-pocus" or '" panjandrum ")  , originally a term meaning whim, fancy or ridiculous idea;. later applied to a pun or play upon words, and thus, in its usual sense, to a particular form of riddle in which the answer depends on a pun . In a' transferred sense the word is also used of any puzzling question or difficulty .