sphinx

a marble sphinxed chimney-piece

A hot lion with a very bloated stomach ... will adopt either a sphinxed or a squatting posture which takes some of the weight off its belly.

The sphinxèd riddle of the Universe,

Nature's unsolved enigma, who may prove?

Perhaps Nature is sphinxing us on purpose. Whatever her objects may be, perhaps she gets her work done better when she appeals to our gambling instincts. If you knew for certain exactly how your marriage was going to turn out[…]