[General] racked his brain for a way Gunther could have vanished into thin air

[albert210]

Hello
I've a little difficulty understanding the bold part. Does it mean "he was thinking hard about how Gunther disappeared suddenly"?

Violet watched the first few rays of sunlight brighten her sturdy, tool-free workbench, and tried to imagine what sort of evil plan Gunther had cooked up. Klaus watched the dawn’s rays make shifting shapes on the wall that separated his room from the Squalor library, and racked his brain for a way Gunther could have vanished into thin air.

"The Ersatz Elevator,"
Novel by Daniel Handler

 

[Skrej]

Yes, that's correct. To 'rack one's brain' is an idiom meaning to struggle to think about, figure out, or remember something.

 

[Rover_KE]

Albert, as you were asked in your first thread, please tell us where you found the original text - we need the source and the author.

 

[albert210]

Thanks that you reminded me. I'll edit my question and add the source.

 

[Tarheel]

Thanks for reminding me. I'll edit my question and add the source.

Why not in post #4?

 

[emsr2d2]

Why not in post #4?

I'm glad the OP edited post #1 to add the source. It removes the possibility of someone else coming to the thread, only reading post #1 and then asking for the source and author. It wouldn't be the first time that someone didn't take the time to read every single response before posting their own.