SirePeteS said:

Again, I am wondering about this and whether it will be a hindrance in my future endeavors?

Indeed, one can put needed items in the puzzle slots for winning. And, winning those items can also hurry your progress through the game. However, eventually it will come back to bite you if you rely heavily on the puzzles and the pet chests to get your needed items.

Getting items from pet chests and puzzles give you just that....the item.....going to an HOS to get the item will also result in you getting an airship item, possible pet food (needed to actually feed the pets to get the items you want), or possible stamps (much needed for crafting all the things the game requires).

Sometimes, a character may ask you to give him/her a crafted item 3x. If you have absolutely zero of those items, (and most of the crafted items have 3 inventory items in addition to a certain amount of stamps and coins).....but, if you now need 3 of each of the items, you need to go to the associated locations 3x to get those items. If they're HOSs, there is the cooldown issue to deal with. So.....best practice is to visit the HOSs....play ALL OTHER AVAILABLE HOSs until those needed have cooled down....enter, get items, play rounds, etc. ....enter for the final set of items. 

In so doing, you have earned a plethora of stamps and pet food, plus coins for completing the HOS, along with the items you need. Players who follow this practice will never run out of any type of stamp (unless they are also using those stamps to craft for profit). So, lack of stamps will never be a hindrance to progressing in the game.

It takes more time.....it is far more tedious than just getting the item from the puzzle or pet. But, it's a far smarter way to play. And, for those players who are in a hurry to get to max end, who are bored with the tedious doing of the rounds.....those players will be even more bored once they reach the content end and have no more character quests to break up the tedious rounds.

Obviously, then, there is the balance to be met.....play the puzzles and feed pets to get SOME of your items.....but, don't use that method exclusively to advance in the game. 

Thank you and others for the advice, input & guidance. I don't consider the puzzles tedious or boring, for now. Perhaps as I progress and become more comfortable in the game that may become the situation. I have, though, opted to slow the pace I was on. Discovered there are some really beautiful graphics and perhaps in my haste I had been not looking. I  now want to look around more. I don't have any target or time-limitation so I can play, wait and savor more. Still reading through the guide, Tips & Tricks.

SirePete, the devs realized this possibility and wrote in a time when the quests just ask you to "visit" (or "explore" or something like that) each of the levels.  So you will need the money to unlock each one eventually. 

I just found some in the guide.  It seems to start about level 60.  Here's some stages from Level 62:

Anabel - Examine Guarding Automaton & Examine Magic Press 
Anabel - Examine Mirror Obelisk & Examine Cloud City Customs 
Anabel - Examine Bow Figurine & Examine Six-Paw 
Anabel - Look in Armored Bear & Go to Carnivorous Lily 
Anabel - Go to Gnome Safe & Heiress Regalia 
Anabel - Examine Book of Evil & Examine Door Cache 

Thank you, oiuoiu321 for the reply and help. I just left Level 26. Got that surprise near the ending that level. Was as you cited for Levels near 60-62. Was directed to specific HOS for which there was other option but to hand over the coins. I had already resolved to take it slow-n-easier in the game to enjoy the graphics. Plus, due to generous egg-donations, I was able to get to the amounts of coinnage need for me to keep going. Still much to learn but not looking to take more short-cuts.

You don't have to open up new levels. Set a goal and do rounds do rounds do rounds. Only level up if you have enough gold and extra to spare. There are in tips and tricks that will tell how much you need for each level. Some people can afford to buy coin(not me). So do the rounds read the notes learn the names. this is a long term game that gets better all the time. Slow down enjoy the ride and do the rounds! Puzzles are good for getting items. Don't pay for gems. play the free part and quit before paying for gems ever. Never bought gems that was worth the price. 

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice. I'm guessing some (all responding to me) assume I understand all or most what they write. Please explain, in detail "do the rounds"??? I understand about how to get/accumulate coins. How does one get the gems? Private rooms, the only place to get the shards?

Hi.

"Doing the rounds" means to go through and explore every room you have open.

The gems come from various things. Sometimes your pets will give them.

Shards- also come from exploring rooms. You will get various items, sometimes it is a shard.

Are you clicking on the little flowers ( morphing objects) that pop up occasionally? You get shards, coins, and sometimes a gem from them. 

Hope that helps to answer your questions.

SirePeteS said:

Please explain, in detail "do the rounds"???

Go to a location. Do any Hidden Object Scene (HOS) that is available. Most locations have 2 HOS. There is a cooldown period after you do an HOS when it is not available. If you click on it a popup will tell you how long until that HOS is again available. Move on to the next HOS and do that. If you go through all the open locations and do all the available HOS at each location that is "doing the rounds." Usually, by the time you have gone through all your locations the first ones you did will now be available. Doing the rounds costs you nothing but time. You gain coins, airship items, pet food, energy balls, and lots of other things. If you are low on coins - do the rounds. Low on airship items - do the rounds. Like everything in the Castle, this is not a requirement. Everyone has their own method of getting what they need. Read posts for suggestions, experiment, then decide for yourself what method you prefer.

SirePeteS said:

How does one get the gems? Private rooms, the only place to get the shards?

Hi Pete,  Gems are the blue diamonds. As stated by others, you can get them from feeding pets, clicking the morphing flowers, the wheel of fortune, etc.  Shards are the elongated blue gem you can get from clicking the flying butterflies in your private room, feeding pets, doing the HOS scenes, etc.  Hope this helps. Ada 

Thanks for the update, etc. Needed to make certain I understood how to get through in this game. Still learning and settling.