It would be better with a layout that flowed only from top to bottom. Reading text mixed with diagrams left-to-right, and then top-to-bottom, is hard, as you point out.

Since Bret has liberated the scientific article from paper, we may as well take advantage of the more flexible layout possible with digital media. Interactive diagrams are so nice for learning that I think it's worth pursuing Victor's idea further. Fred Akalin's blog has a couple great examples! https://www.akalin.com/quintic-unsolvability