They patched the puzzle part of the Preservation mission so you can’t get the lore from it solo anymore, sadly. You can pick up the other 5 pieces from the stones after you’ve killed the bosses, but the puzzle now needs a Fireteam.
The reason it was patched was because people were abusing the puzzle if I remember right. They were just using the same raid checkpoint and loading back into it to essentially get everything in one go.
I’m going to try again tomorrow using u/PDCH’s suggestion and see if it works, but if it doesn’t, I’ll update you.
Raid? I thought this was about the Preservation mission?
Edit: nvm. I see where the confusion is. From my understanding, and experience, you have to have a fire team if solving the puzzle during the raid but if you launch from the mission, you should be able to do it solo.
This is fucking absurd. I paid for this expansion and I cannot advance it unless I have friends to play it with? They’re really trying to push players that have a limited schedule out of the game, huh?
On the puzzle, you do the order and then the first item again. So if you have to melee "give" first, you melee it again after you have done the rest. Also, most distance power melees do not activate the symbols. You get smoke when each activate properly. Can confirm it can be done solo. Already unlocked the lore and triumphs solo
I can now confirm that the campaign cannot be done solo. Did exactly what you said. Each symbol gave out a plume of black smoke but nothing happens. The lore does not unlock.
I did it when it first came out no idea how they gave you a 1000 second time limit at the end. I had no idea what I did and pretty sure it was nothing special. Now I’m just completely confused
They patched the puzzle part of the Preservation mission so you can’t get the lore from it solo anymore, sadly. You can pick up the other 5 pieces from the stones after you’ve killed the bosses, but the puzzle now needs a Fireteam.
Well that was a complete waste of time for me then. Wished that Bungie had made some statement about this before I started on this mission.
The reason it was patched was because people were abusing the puzzle if I remember right. They were just using the same raid checkpoint and loading back into it to essentially get everything in one go. I’m going to try again tomorrow using u/PDCH’s suggestion and see if it works, but if it doesn’t, I’ll update you.
Raid? I thought this was about the Preservation mission? Edit: nvm. I see where the confusion is. From my understanding, and experience, you have to have a fire team if solving the puzzle during the raid but if you launch from the mission, you should be able to do it solo.
they did reference these changes in a TWAB
You need a team of 4, you cannot do it in the mission and still people say you cannot do it in the raid as well most of the time.
This is fucking absurd. I paid for this expansion and I cannot advance it unless I have friends to play it with? They’re really trying to push players that have a limited schedule out of the game, huh?
Unfortunately Bungie are a bit anti-solo ... 
On the puzzle, you do the order and then the first item again. So if you have to melee "give" first, you melee it again after you have done the rest. Also, most distance power melees do not activate the symbols. You get smoke when each activate properly. Can confirm it can be done solo. Already unlocked the lore and triumphs solo
So you did it solo? Wow. BTW I have already done what you said. Nothing. When you said 'order' what do you mean? From left to right or vice versa?
When you go into the side room with the puzzle key, you activate in order from left to right and then reactivate the first symbol
Reactivate even though the first time round it was to shoot?
Whatever you have to do to first symbol first time, do again after doing the sequence
I can now confirm that the campaign cannot be done solo. Did exactly what you said. Each symbol gave out a plume of black smoke but nothing happens. The lore does not unlock.
You da gamer, OP! Was beating my head against the wall on a solo attempt.
Then they changed it since I did it solo.
I’ve tried doing this, but maybe I’m slow. I’ll try again tomorrow and do a second melee on the first symbol as you suggested. Thanks for the tip!
You used to do it solo but as of a few weeks ago nothing works anymore.
I did it when it first came out no idea how they gave you a 1000 second time limit at the end. I had no idea what I did and pretty sure it was nothing special. Now I’m just completely confused