Would it be accurate to say that kanji is like a puzzle?
・・i'm not sure who taught you that.
however, i think it is very interesting question or opinion. i was impressed with the view. :)
Different characters coming together to create one word?
・・surely,most of kanji is gathered with some different kanji(characters).
then it creats one word(Kanji). the structure is like as follows.
e.g.
森(もり/forest)・・is gathered by 3 trees.
林(はやし/forest)・・is made by 2 trees.
木(き/tree,wood)・・is made by 1 tree.
親(おや/parent)・・(立つ/stand)+(木/tree,wood)+(見る/see,look,watch)
many Kanji was converted from hieroglyphics. it is characterized.
in addition,about idiom(jyuku go/熟語/じゅくご).熟語
it is a combination of Kanji and Kanji.
those combination has a meaning of opposite,meaning of same in 熟語 either.
e.g.
強弱(きょうじゃく・kyou jyaku) = strong+weak
道路(どうろ・dou ro)=road+road
it seems to be puzzle..have a fun to learn Kanji and Japanese! :)