How to perforate it thoroughly is the question

I believe the answer is:

riddle

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'the question' is the definition.
(riddle is a kind of question)

I don't understand the remainder of the clue.

(Other definitions for riddle that I've seen before include "Puzzling person, thing" , "Cryptic verse" , "Ingenious question" , "Ingenious puzzle - sieve" , "Word puzzle or coarse sieve" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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