I really like the tactics trainer here. I know the puzzles were updated recently. I appreciate that.

However, I've recently noticed that there are low rated puzzles that require a five move combo, are quite intricate, and that would appear to be more difficult than stated by several hundred points.

Also, the time constraints seem much tighter so that even if one is fairly quick, that's not quick enough.

I tend to think that maybe what you just said in the last sentence is the problem.

here are things to consider. the trainer awards partial points. so if a problem is 5 moves long, with the first 2-3 being straight foward and then the last moves being difficult to see really quickly, then you end up with a problem with a 1300-1400 rating with 5000 attempts and a 20-30 percent pass rate, because all those points were given away to people who found the first couple straight foward moves but didn't solve the problem. I think they should either prune those problems, cutting off the first couple moves, or stop awarding partial points to people. 

also it is worth noting that the trainer on here is a "blitz mode" trainer essentially, from what I hear chess tempo has three different kinds of trainers, a blitz mode, a standard and an endgame. 

I'm also not the only who has observed that sometimes as you get past 1700-1900 the problems can actually become a little easier for a time, until you hit 2300-2400 when they start getting harder again. 

I think because of what I mentioned regarding partial points as well as more and more people doing the trainer, it has resulted in a plethora of extremely underrated problems, making it seem like it has become harder. 

Very insightful comment. Thanks.

I have felt that the rated tactical trainer is blitz oriented. I prefer rapid chess with 10 - 15 min. per side. I can play 5 min. blitz, but I have always believed that it breeds knee jerk moves and sloppy play...except, of course, for the pros or highly rated amateurs.

off topic, but I consider 10 minutes with no increment to still be well within blitz territory. if professionals view 15 minutes as the baseline for rapid, then I would think for amateurs and enthusiasts this baseline would have to be 20-25 minutes. 15 minutes with no increment would be on the borderline of blitz/rapid for most enthusiasts, if people are being honest. I just don't really see the play improve all that much between 5 and 10 minute games for the majority of people. middlegames are tiny bit more involved maybe, but it quickly devolves into cut throat, not time for plans blitz play.

There are a variety of slightly different definitions, that I've seen. All I'm really saying is that when I play, I find that 10-15 minutes per side allows me enough time to think when I need to calculate.

Here is a puzzle for you today. What happened to you Fat Friend? He and his thread have disappeared Goober.

I don't have any such friends. Maybe you should cut back on the vodka?