For the best experience, don't look up the answers!!

[sto-ifics42]

Yes, the puzzles in the game can be tricky and annoying at times, but looing up the answers will just spoil the experience. I accidentally picked up a hint or two here or there and that ended up getting me all the way through the Mechanical Age in <5 minutes. Experience = ruined. But if you try at it, the frustration will be converted into joy that you were able to figure it out.

[Hinklemeyer]

I second this. The puzzles are indeed tricky, but it's the easiest of the Myst series by far.

[BigSisterNor]

Oh God, it's the easiest!? Riven will take me until Christmas!

[Commander Makara]

It's all too easy once you lookup the answer to one part that you get stuck on - to not put as much real effort into solving the later puzzles and then end up missing quite a lot of the experience of playing.
I only say this because I used a walkthru for most of Riven and Myst III, and I now rtegret that since I have no idea of the depth of the storylines there.