Crossword Genius

Difficult Norse god nearly dispensing with earl (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

thorny

'difficult' is the definition.
('thorny' can be similar in meaning to 'difficult')

'norse god nearly dispensing with earl' is the wordplay.
'norse god' becomes 'thor' (Thor is an example**).
'dispensing with' is a deletion indicator.
'nearly' with 'earl' removed is 'ny'.
'thor'+'ny'='THORNY'

(Other definitions for thorny that I've seen before include "Spiny - difficult and controversial" , "Troublesome or difficult - having spikes?" , "Prickly, problematic" , "Trying" , "Unpleasant" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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