Yeah, there are times where I've been reading a story that's been beautifully written and completely original, but then the author makes the reader jump through hoops in the story and then you've lost me.
Don't get me wrong, there are many stories out there that work well with some complex and separate plots which come together in a really good way. These multiple plot lines really help the form and structure of the story and further facilitate the readers need for conclusion when they are tied up neatly.
There has been many times where an author has put too much dialog or too much information into scene which is irrelevant and further confuses the reader. - I have been guilty of the same thing. An anchor, (perhaps a compass) is needed to help the author stay on track and to remind them of what they have and what they want to do with it.
Do I think that a story can be saved with a few clever tricks? Absolutely. In much of the stuff that I've written, there comes a point where one paragraph, or even an extra story line can come and save the day. I remember reading some of your stories that have demonstrated similar traits.
That's what I think.