See, that's the make or break aspect of the game I think.
You'd think there was a set path to progress from area to area but you have to venture out to areas you'd think would be "advanced" to find a tutorial.
So, yeah. You could say there's a better, intended path, but venturing off and exploring is encouraged and even necessary.
I could see how someone may find that confusing.
Open ended puzzle games aren't really common.
But that's a plus. You start out with several areas that teach you different things and you learn the game at your own pace. Better, you get stuck in a mechanic then you go to a totally different area, then you go back with a fresher mind other day and solve your block. When you have few areas left you've already got enough knowledge to not get stuck as hard or to persevere longer and harder.