Solvable means capable of being solved or figured out. When a problem is solvable, there's a way to find the answer, even if it takes time and effort. A math equation is solvable when you can work through the steps to find the solution. A mystery is solvable when enough clues exist to discover what happened.

Some problems are immediately solvable: you know exactly what to do and can solve them quickly. Others are solvable but difficult: they require patience, creativity, or new knowledge. A complex jigsaw puzzle is solvable, but you might need hours to complete it. Scientists work on solvable problems all the time, though the solutions might take years of research to discover.

The opposite is unsolvable, which describes problems that have no solution or puzzles that can't be completed. Knowing whether something is solvable can help people decide whether to keep trying or choose a different challenge.