When you know the definitions, of the elements of your problem, no doubt, start attacking the problem. Ever if you still don't know the definitions for the most general form of the problem and only for a simplified version of it the answer is the same. No better sense of what the problem is about than by putting your own hand on it. Even if it only serves to get to some conclusion that you could have easily read somewhere. It could even happen that you solve the problem by putting together two or three things that you read but more important in research than solving the problem is understanding it. Because after solving it, you need to find new problems to continue. You don't understand anything better than those that you do yourself. The above doesn't mean don't read. It means don't wait a second before start doing all you can yourself.