Solo Duties Difficulty Select
the difficulity only appear after you fail them once, so it's only there if you failed and lost time regardless (unless you fail the 1st few seconds in and go for very easy, it really makes a difference)
That is simply untrue. You are presented with a difficulty selection upon beginning any solo duty.
As shown here, from my own (failure-less) run: 
हाल की दौड़ें
स्तर: The Ghimlyt Dark
स्तर: The Drowned City of Skalla
स्तर: Sohr Khai
स्तर: Hullbreaker Isle (Hard)
