Fragrance comparison

Perseus vs Puzzle No. 2

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 22 Oct 2026 2,581 ratings analysed

Perseus

Parfums de Marly

3.902,395 votes

Rank #3,947 CitrusWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

59%scent match

Closely related

5 wins

Puzzle No. 2

M. Micallef

3.98186 votes

Rank #27,671 WoodyFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Puzzle No. 2 takes 5 of 7 categories.

Perseus
Choose it for a citrus and woody character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear.
Puzzle No. 2
Choose it for a woody and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring.

Perseus2/7

Puzzle No. 25/7

Ratings & consensus: Puzzle No. 2
Community sentiment: Puzzle No. 2
Longevity: Perseus
Sillage & projection: Puzzle No. 2
Value for money: Puzzle No. 2
Versatility: Puzzle No. 2
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Perseus

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

PerseusParfums de Marly

Puzzle No. 2M. Micallef

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.90/ 5 · 2,395 votes

Have 84%Had 16%Want 0%

3.98/ 5 · 186 votes

Have 58%Had 42%Want 0%

Category winnerPuzzle No. 2Rating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

42%Love

26%Like

17%Ok

10%Dislike

5%Hate

2,395 votes

32%Love

51%Like

2%Ok

15%Dislike

1%Hate

186 votes

Category winnerPuzzle No. 2Most positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage57

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity72

〰 Sillage66

♥ Love / hate74

Category winners

LongevityPerseus

SillagePuzzle No. 2

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value26

¤ Price value42

Category winnerPuzzle No. 2Best value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

woody86%

aromatic72%

fresh spicy58%

amber44%

earthy30%

woody100%

fruity92%

aromatic84%

fresh spicy77%

citrus69%

floral61%

Scent match59%Closely related · both woody, citrus and aromatic

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top20-40 mins

GrapefruitBergamotBlack Currant

Heart2-4 hrs

VetiverGreen MandarinGeranium

Base6-10 hrs

Dry WoodCashmere WoodAmbergrisBalsam FirCedarTonka Bean

Top

Black CurrantGrapefruit

Heart

GeraniumVanilla OrchidJasmine

Base

VetiverCashmere WoodWhite MuskPatchouli

InformationalShared notesGrapefruit, Black Currant, Vetiver and Geranium. Durations are only published for Perseus, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter12

Day100

Night30

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter44

Day–

Night–

Category winnerPuzzle No. 2Most year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men71

Unisex26

Women2

Casual 40%Work 33%Date 15%Party 12%

Men20

Unisex33

Women47

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#3,947

PerfumerNathalie Templer

Launched—

Reviews206

Overall rank#27,671

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerPerseusHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Perseus by Parfums de Marly delivers an immediate shock of tart, bitter grapefruit and juicy bergamot. The citrus does not vanish quickly like traditional colognes. Instead, it holds firm for hours before yielding to an earthy vetiver heart and a sharp cedar base. You get a bright, energizing burst that feels grounded…

Reviews →

Puzzle No. 2 by M. Micallef is a versatile unisex fragrance that pairs bright grapefruit and black currant with a warm, woody base. It functions well as a daily signature scent for those who enjoy clean, musk-forward profiles. The blend of geranium and vanilla orchid adds just enough interest to make it a solid choice…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Perseus or Puzzle No. 2?

Puzzle No. 2 takes 5 of 7 categories. Perseus is rated 3.90/5 from 2,395 votes; Puzzle No. 2 is rated 3.98/5 from 186 votes. Choose Perseus for a citrus and woody character. Wins on longevity and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring, daytime wear. Choose Puzzle No. 2 for a woody and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, community sentiment and sillage & projection. Best in spring.

Which lasts longer, Perseus or Puzzle No. 2?

They last about the same: Perseus 73/100, Puzzle No. 2 72/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Perseus or Puzzle No. 2?

Puzzle No. 2 projects furthest (Puzzle No. 2 66/100, Perseus 57/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Perseus and Puzzle No. 2 smell similar?

Closely related: a 59% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, citrus and aromatic accords. Common notes include Grapefruit, Black Currant, Vetiver and Geranium.

Is Perseus or Puzzle No. 2 better for summer or winter?

For summer, Perseus is the stronger pick. For winter, Puzzle No. 2 is the stronger pick. Perseus suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Perseus and Puzzle No. 2?

Perseus has top notes of Grapefruit, Bergamot and Black Currant, heart notes of Vetiver, Green Mandarin and Geranium, a base of Dry Wood, Cashmere Wood, Ambergris and Balsam Fir. Puzzle No. 2 has top notes of Black Currant and Grapefruit, heart notes of Geranium, Vanilla Orchid and Jasmine, a base of Vetiver, Cashmere Wood, White Musk and Patchouli.