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A riddle wrapped up in an enigma

What's the meaning of the phrase 'A riddle wrapped up in an enigma'?

A puzzle – difficult to solve.

What's the origin of the phrase 'A riddle wrapped up in an enigma'?

A form of Winston Churchill’s quotation, made in a radio broadcast in October 1939:

“I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.”

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Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
A riddle wrapped up in an enigma

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