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How To Sign PUZZLED
in American Sign Language.
ASL LOVE
🤟 How to sign
To sign "PUZZLED" in American Sign Language (ASL), use your dominant hand in a "1" handshape at your forehead, then twist your wrist back and forth while maintaining contact with your forehead, showing mental confusion or uncertainty.
📖 Word definition
Unable to understand something; confused and uncertain about what something means or how to solve a problem.
🎯 Detailed Hand Movement Guide

  1. Hand Shape: Dominant hand in "1" handshape (index finger extended, other fingers closed).
  2. Starting Position: Index finger touches the center of your forehead.
  3. Movement: Twist wrist back and forth 2-3 times while finger stays on forehead.
  4. Path: Small rotational movement at the wrist, finger pivots on forehead.
  5. Hand Orientation: Finger points toward your head, wrist rotates left and right.
  6. Facial Expression: Confused expression with furrowed brow and questioning look.

⚠️ Common Mistakes & What to Avoid

❌ Wrong finger: Use index finger only, not multiple fingers.

❌ Wrong location: Touch forehead, not temple or side of head.

❌ No movement: Must twist wrist back and forth, not just touch.

❌ Wrong expression: Show confusion on face, not neutral expression.

💬 Common Sentence Examples

"I'm puzzled by this math problem."
How to sign: Point to yourself → sign "puzzled" (1 finger twist on forehead) → sign "this" (point down) → sign "math" (M hands cross multiply) → sign "problem" (knuckles rub together).
"She looks puzzled about the directions."
How to sign: Point to her → sign "look" (V fingers from eyes outward) → sign "puzzled" → sign "about" → sign "directions" (D hands alternate pointing forward).
"The students were puzzled by the question."
How to sign: Sign "students" (flat hand on palm, then people sign) → sign "puzzled" → sign "by" → sign "question" (draw question mark in air with index finger).