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Hello, Elle,
No, I have not came across him before.
I listened to him on YouTube, though.
A nice change from the Bluegrass dancing!

Hi, Rusty!
So do you like him?
I am going through his whole repertoire!
I am "wallowing" in sentimentality and nostagia!
I'm having a great time!
But on a more prosaic note ......and liable to raise your hackles (!) there were two (supposed) homophones in the Time QC today......
The first .......Mr R thinks that "barren" sounds like "baron" ????
Not to me it doesn't......
And the other one... I shall give you the clue - it is good clue in a sense , except that I cannot really agree with the homophone......
but see what you think?
17a: Ecstatic sound of famous singer, Joe, and band (4-1-4)

Hello, Elle!
No, I am not keen on him.
Fats Domino and Christy Moore are more my style.
Barren and baron would do for me?
I have no idea of 17a?
I think it is colder this evening.

very well done for winning Clueless Pigale. I can't parse your clue but it's a great achievement. The only problem is judging next week!

Hi, Rusty!
We used to play songs by Rod McEuan in our car.......!
Now, the clue......
17a: Ecstatic sound of famous singer, Joe, and band (4-1-4)
The answer is "cock-a- hoop" = ecstatic (def)
cocka sounding like Cocker (Joe )
hoop - band
I think it is quite a clever clue, but again , to me "cocka" doesn't sound like "cocker"
(as -en couldn't sound like -on in the previous clue!)
But homophones are never going to be satisfactory to a lot of people , are they?
I am back to getting only two daily crosswords again, as John is back from his holiday!
So no 15 x15.
I could of course buy the newspaper.......

Thank you Rosalind! I am very happy indeed (as well as pleasantly surprised!). A hint : I did live in Guernsey for 11 years.......

I agree with next week - choosing a word and a clip is one thing, but be the sole judge is quite daunting! Easier to win Peer Review in that respect.

Yes, Well done indeed, Pigale!
I would be lost in understanding all those excellent clues!

Hello, Elle!
I would never get that in a long, long, time.
Yes, I can see it is a good clue, if you speak like that.
I do not, and I am sure there are many like me.
One crossword is plenty for me nowadays.

Hi, Rusty!
I am gradually getting used to dealing with clues like that... and I think we possibly get more of the "Cockney -type" clues in the QCs than you do in the bigger crossword?
Plus I have two good friends with broad East End accents!
It helps a lot!
My book "A Fool's Alphabet" is very good .
Sebastian Faulks makes good use of the time differences and drifts from the alphabetic placings of the main character into the different time zones with good effect.
I wonder what will be exposed by the time I reach "Z"?
What are you reading at present?

Hello, Elle!
I am not sure. Wonder of Mr Rogan edits the Quick one?
I do not keep the Quick Crossword, but give it to my neighbour.
She likes the puzzles and takes it to work.
She is a nurse and I think the patients and staff have a bash at all the puzzles.
I do the quiz on the back page first though.
15 questions.
My best ever score is 4 correct!
It is a toughie!
I am reading "Wilful Murder".
It is about the sinking of the RMS Lusitania IN 1915.
it is very good.