solve

To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out.

Noun

A solution; an explanation.
- The solve is this, that thou dost common grow. - 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 69”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
- KEVIN: I decided a long time ago that just because I love Raymond, doesn't mean I have to love the people he works with. Good solve, Detective. - 2014 February 4, The Party, Gil Ozeri and Gabe Liedman (writers), Michael...
- “Hey, Mr. Quilt Bandit.” Ian smiled. “Nice solve, Nancy Drew.” - 2017, Elodia Strain, The Dating Experiment, →ISBN:

From Middle English solven, from Latin solvō.

To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out.
- True piety would effectually solve such scruples. - 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:
- God shall solve the dark decrees of fate. - 1649, Thomas Tickell, Thoughts occasioned by the sight of an original picture of King Charles I taken at the time of his trial:
- A “moving platform” scheme[…]is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails. Local trains would use side-by-side rails to roll alongside intercity trains and allow...
Synonyms: decipher resolve unriddle
to find out the perpetrator, the motive etc (of crime)
- to solve a murder to solve a crime
To find the values of variables that satisfy a system of equations and/or inequalities.
To algebraically manipulate an equation or inequality into a form that isolates a chosen variable on one side, so that the other side consists of an expression that may be used to generate solutions.
To loosen or separate the parts of.
1. (chemistry, archaic) To dissolve