A new method for the excitation and detection of high-order C-13 multiple-quantum (MQ) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals in solids under magic-angle spinning (MAS) condition is presented. In this experimental scheme, high-order C-13 MQ coherences are generated by relaying several sequentially generated C-13 double-quantum (DQ) coherences in dipolar coupled networks. Numerical simulations and experimental implementations are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of this method under a moderate MAS frequency regime. C-13 MQ signals up to 10-quantum coherences are observed experimentally on the model compound 1-C-13-labeled glycine, at an MAS frequency of 12 kHz. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.