fiendish

Everyday

1. Fiendish means very cruel or wicked, like a fiend (a devil or evil spirit). tree →
2. (informal) Fiendish means extremely clever, complicated or difficult: «a fiendish puzzle». tree →

In the lessons

In stories, a villain makes a fiendish plan. In puzzles and maths, a fiendish sudoku or riddle is very hard, so it is often used for olympiad or challenge questions. Phrases: «a fiendish plan», «fiendishly difficult», «fiendish puzzle».

Examples

• The villain had a fiendish plan to steal the crown jewels. tree →
• This sudoku is fiendish! tree →
• The maths challenge had a fiendish final question. tree →
• The witch gave a fiendish laugh. tree →
• The maze was fiendishly difficult. tree →
• The detective uncovered a fiendish trick. tree →
• After a time he became an adept in the black art, and contracted an intimate acquaintance with the fiendish races. tree →

Note

From «fiend» (a devil, or a person who loves something: «a football fiend»). Adverb: fiendishly. Say «FEEN-dish».