Crossword Help Forum
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I am perfectly content to hear people say a puzzle was easy, even to say it was far too easy. I feel this balances out the 'What a an absolute gem' comments on puzzles I've disliked or struggled with! As we're a little community of crossword solvers, for me all opinions are valid.

PS From my long time on the Forum, I'd say that it's easy to see comments as snotty or elitist - when referring to puzzles at either end of the difficulty spectrum!

Yes, Malone. I stand corrected. Reading back my comment I may have given the impression that I don't think forum members should express an opinion. To the contrary, feedback is useful and everybody should feel able to say what they thought of a puzzle. Personally, I find it helpful to know on Friday night what the consensus is. My point was more about HOW we express ourselves and whether we come across as welcoming new setters and solvers...or not. I do see that seasoned solvers may occasionally feel short changed and that in this forum that is as valid a view as any.

Thanks, Whistler. No, I don't think you gave that impression at all - I was just jotting down my thoughts on the subject.

I think you did make a valid point, about being welcoming to new solvers - and that's an important one. I'd like new solvers to see that there's a wide range of opinions (and abilities) on this Forum - and that each and every one is as important as the other. I think it'd be very unrealistic if there was never to be any disappointment with or criticism of any puzzle. We're all smart enough to know that Mr A might love Listener 123 and Ms B might think it was too easy and rather boring. And we're all smart enough to know that ... there'll be another Listener along fairly soon!

I have a couple of parsing queries if anyone can help.
3d. I can't figure out the parsing of the first 4 letters (night-light twinkling in addition to buzzer in the morning).
15a: I have a very unsatisfactory parsing which involves the clue giving me half of the answer for free, which doesn't feel right (degee qualification can justify military insignia).

The twinkling is the first two letters
"In addition to" is the next pair.. I think

I'm with you on 15a but I'm not fretting over it.

3d "Night-light" is the definition. 2-letters for a "twinkling" + 2-letters for "in addition to" + 3 letters for "buzzer" (which loses one of its letters) + 2 letters for "in the morning"

15a Yes, you get a freebie for the first half of the answer; the other half is a 3-letter "military insignia"; the def is the first two words.

3d - first word is the definition. Then the answer is built up in two-letter pieces. Hope that's enough.
15a - sometimes you do have to use what you're given. The (to me) obvious alternative cluing would be inaccurate, while the accurate approach would be long-winded. Like me!

I don’t have a problem with the odd easy one like 4821. It would be good to attract a few newbies (I’ve just introduced one). When I first started, I could only rarely complete a puzzle but the ones I did manage encouraged me to keep at it. That said, I think we’ve had a couple of easy ones quite close together, which we could do without.

Maybe, if the Listener stated the level of difficulty it would stop all the complaints, either way (too easy/too hard) and just allow people to comment on the elegance of the construction. Personally my comments on the ease of the puzzle are only driven by the disappointment of a weeks anticipation being dashed. If I was aware of the challenge facing me I would have no reason at all to comment upon it. As I was expelled from a state Grammar School I do not count my self elitist, merely, sometimes, frustrated and deflated.

When first got a Times subscription I attempted some of the earlier crosswords in the archive and gained a distinct impression that they were more difficult, on average, than the current content. This may be due to changes in setting style of course.
We need a range of difficulty and yes this was at the easier end of the spectrum but I thought well constructed and fair.
It would be interesting to know how often members of this use crossword solving tools. There is a range available including anagram solvers, word search tools, Bradfords, ODQ, Google, this forum and of course the BRB itself.
I always start trying to solve unaided and only turn to tools for help if I get completely stuck. In this case I managed pretty much unaided but it took a while.
I used nearly all the above for the recent Sabre and still failed at the finale because I do not have access to the ODQ. (Still smarting about that.)