Very possible Malone. I think it was last week there was a big debate over the clue. And that Yidreg had put the Alpha puzzle was in the Star. I noticed that the Express version had the same clue and could not fit into 1A (Hence my previous comment)
Although I had a go today for the first time and completed it to my amazement with not doing one before. I have been looking at the clues each day (Not good in my opinion. With saying that, I think the Xword has taken a tumble also. Might be time for me to go back to the Mail in the hope that it has got better since I purchased my last copy.