Comment by Pxtl

I usually start with the statement that I'm having trouble understanding the code. "I don't get it". But either way, it is a criticism of the code if I don't get it.

Because truly, that in itself is the failing. If there's an obvious fix for the problem, and it's not obvious to the reader why an alternative approach was chosen, then the developer either failed to use the obvious tool or failed to make it obvious why they chose the alternate tool.

Because the next guy who has to fix bugs in this code might throw it out and use the obvious tool, and if so the code needs better comments or other explanation why that doesn't work here.