The Witness, which doesn't have an instruction guide as far as I know, but it's easy to get an idea of what the game is doing and what you need to do along with the game. Simply click on one of the panels to play an "easy" maze puzzle, but as the game advances they get harder and even getting through the first area can be puzzling. There is a variety of ways to help figure out how to solve a puzzle, which we'll go into below.

Follow the Power Lines

If nothing else in the game, you can figure out what to do next by following the power lines. In any area, you'll see panels connected via power lines. One panel in the area is going to be powered on, unless of course another area feeds power to that one (which you'll need to go activate the power panels there first). The power lines can be a part of the puzzle very easily, because you may need to find hidden panels that you can only reach via following the power lines. Likewise, you can get trolled as a power line can go into the ceiling, but actually just be on the other side of the wall, making you think you need to go higher.

Yet, at the end of the day, the easiest way to advance is to follow the power lines and if it's not power lines, it's glowing beams.

Use Contextual Queues

All manners of symbols will appear on the maze, standing for anything and everything from avoiding, to blocking out, and anything else possible. I really don't even want to go that far down the list, because most of the fun in the game is figuring out how to exactly solve a puzzle, but the solution is usually given to you in some capacity in either a drawing, hints, or just via trial and error. Keep trying and using what you've learned before on the panels as you constantly explore the game.

Don't be afraid to give up and come back to an area later. Sometimes something you learn elsewhere will come into play in a puzzle that doesn't have that specific context. Don't be afraid of puzzles that look complex, they could just use simple rules, while harder puzzles could look easy but have their solution buried elsewhere on the island.

Use the Environment

Puzzle solutions don't just come in the form of the panels, they can involve the environment too. Not to spoil anything, but an example comes rather early in the game where looking behind at the panel and its backdrop will bring about the solution, whereas you could also need to look beside the panel, behind the panel, through the panel on the other side, the walls near the panel, etc. Don't leave any stone unturned if it looks like a solution can't be found with just the panel itself. If it's not contained in another puzzle, it's likely contained on another wall.

Shapes of buildings, walls, trees, even the inhabitants of the island can all be part of a solution. Don't think any detail is too small or too big.

But Don't Get too Deep too Quickly

Yet, even with everything being a possible clue, you'll want to reign in thinking too hard about some puzzles. It could just be as simple as thinking less. All puzzle logic remains the same - a puzzle is only as difficult as you make it. For some, you can brute force them, for others you might just need to explore some more of the island and come back. Don't let any puzzle seize your mind for too long - some puzzles are definitely long ones, while others not so much.