obstacle vs hindrance

obstacle and hindrance both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
obstacle	Yes	No	No	No
hindrance	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, hindrance is a hypernym of obstacle; that is, hindrance is a word with a broader meaning than obstacle:

obstacle: something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted
hindrance: something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress

Other hypernyms of obstacle include balk, baulk, check, deterrent, handicap, hinderance, impediment.

obstacle (noun)	hindrance (noun)
an obstruction that stands in the way (and must be removed or surmounted or circumvented)	the act of hindering or obstructing or impeding
something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted	any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome
	something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress