single word requests - What do you call someone who solves puzzles?


What is a term or name for someone who is very adept at solving puzzles or situations that require though processing and logic.


I ran across this question, however this only deals with crossword puzzles. I'm looking for something that could be applied on a broader sense.



Answer



Enigmatologist is the word for the person you describe. The term was coined by Will Shortz, the former editor of Games magazine, which I read voraciously as a child. He's currently the editor of the New York Times crossword puzzle. Mr. Shortz is apparently the only person in the history of the world to have a degree in Enigmatology (the University of Indiana, 1974).


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