riddle wrapped up in an enigma
English
Etymology
A form of Winston Churchill's quotation, made in a radio broadcast in October 1939.[1][2]
Pronunciation
Audio (AU) (file)
Noun
riddle wrapped up in an enigma
- (idiomatic) Something very mysterious and hidden.
References
- “The meaning and origin of the expression: A riddle wrapped up in an enigma”, in The Phrase Finder, phrases.org.uk, 17 March 2009, retrieved 13 March 2017
- Winston Churchill (1939-10-01) The Russian Enigma (BBC Broadcast, in English), London: “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.”