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Discover LudwigThe phrase "a devil of" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe something or someone as being very difficult or troublesome, often in a colloquial context.
Example: "He was a devil of a taskmaster, always pushing us to our limits."
Alternatives: "a real pain in the neck" or "a tough nut to crack".
Exact(56)
Karen Durbin describes Mia Farrow's character in "Rosemary's Baby" as a woman "who suspects she's carrying Satan's spawn" ["A Devil of a Marriage, Scarier Than Ever" by Karen Durbin, Jan . 19]
They expect to have a devil of a time.
Say: "I'm having a devil of a time finding my heirloom jewelry.
Poor kid is going to have a devil of a time in the playground.
Fallopia baldschuanica, aka Russian vine, aka mile-a-minute, is a devil of a climber.
But the Scotsman had a devil of a job, needing four grimly contested sets over four hours.
She argues that women of her generation made a "devil of a bargain" when they traded homemaking for careers.
Similar(4)
"She made a devil out of me," he unblinkingly tells the camera.
We have to stop making a demon, a devil, out of the other," stresses Grunwald.
And then came Williams, a Tazmanian Devil of a performer whom the stage could not contain.
The dramatic routine scored them major points with the judges, with Bruno calling it a "dare devil of a tango".
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Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com