I think we tend to remember only the elegant clues - there have always been good and bad. Some recent clues, however, certainly lack elegance. Take this one from today's Toughie.
This food could produce ailment (7)
How's about that for a really difficult anagram !!!
It's probably a good idea to write to or email the crossword editor Kate Fassett about this.
The Torygraph isn't a favourite of mine, but its crosswords are hard without being obscure, elegant (good word!) but not pretentious, and scrupulously fair. It would be a huge shame if these standards were allowed to slip.