Answer to the Sphinx's riddle Crossword Clue

(noun)

1. any living or extinct member of the family Hominidae characterized by superior intelligence, articulate speech, and erect carriage
2. all of the living human inhabitants of the earth
3. game equipment consisting of an object used in playing certain board games
4. one of the British Isles in the Irish Sea
5. an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
6. a male person who plays a significant role (husband or lover or boyfriend) in the life of a particular woman
7. an adult male person who has a manly character (virile and courageous competent)
8. the generic use of the word to refer to any human being
9. a male subordinate
10. someone who serves in the armed forces; a member of a military force
11. a manservant who acts as a personal attendant to his employer

(verb)

1. provide with workers
2. take charge of a certain job; occupy a certain work place

(noun)

1. a nonverbal reaction
2. the principal pleading by the defendant in response to plaintiff's complaint; in criminal law it consists of the defendant's plea of `guilty' or `not guilty' (or nolo contendere); in civil law it must contain denials of all allegations in the plaintiff's complaint that the defendant hopes to controvert and it can contain affirmative defenses or counterclaims
3. a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem
4. a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
5. the speech act of replying to a question

(verb)

1. understand the meaning of
2. give the correct answer or solution to
3. react to a stimulus or command
4. respond to a signal
5. give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument)
6. react verbally
7. be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of
8. match or correspond
9. be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
10. be liable or accountable