First of all the belt marks are irrelevant after the engine rotates and are not used to check anythig, but only to install the belt. The pulley and gear are a very tight fit on the shaft and meed to be jostled to loosen them up and square them to the shaft to remove them. The mallest adjustment might be needed to avoid jamming them. It really is a matter of feel. In ~50 belts, I have never needed a puller or excessive force.
TDC is trivial as is belt placement without marks. Just set the cam mark (you can't miss thta one), set the notch on the crank plate to the subtle mark on the block plate (harder, study it for a while til you realize what the two reference points are). Now for the good one Mike W. taught me: check that the distributor rotor is pointed directly at the tic mark on the lip of the distributor. This belt issue is one that is so often botched following cam switches or head gaskets. It is not more than a 1 hour job with practice (without seals).