Skyward Sword's puzzles are no where near as plentiful as OoT or SS's. And I don't consider the obstacles in the overworld puzzles. They're just obstacles. I'd love more of those like in SS as that was my favorite part. At least until they started backtracking. But there was a satisfying sense of progression.

In my opinion, Wind Waker has the best combat of any game I've ever played. Them working one WWHD before this, and the fact that they are very bluntly taking what they've learned revisiting that game and putting it into Zelda U bode's well for the combat. That is, if they leave shitty motion controls out, or at least optional.

The fact that they're bringing bomb arrows back is also a good sign that combat will be a strong focus.

This depends what he means by puzzle. I'd imagine he's talking about moving away from traditional block pushing puzzles and more into dynamic problem solving.

Skyward sword had a lot of puzzles but the use of new items and ideas like the time stone things made them feel fresh. I wish they kept them largely to the dungeon because I was feeling fatigue by the time I worked my way to the dungeons in that game, but they were brilliantly designed. The best yet. By contrast, one of the most disappointing things about Windwaker HD (A Zelda game I prefer) was the fairly generic Zelda puzzles.

Think the highlight is this:

"As a player progresses through any game, they're making choices. They're making hopefully logical choices to progress them in the game. [...] But I feel like making those logical choices and taking information that you received previously and making decisions based on that [...]"

This is like saying (to me) you can enter the gerudo fortress but that could be wrong without the required equipment. Therefore, you need to come back, or even worse, end dead.

No, it just needs less puzzles and more combat. no need for removing the puzzles.

So long as the puzzles are still fun, engaging and occasionally frustrating, I'm fine with this.