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Is it related to "fell" as "mighty" (as in "one fell swoop"?


That reminds me. My mother-in-law told me about a friend of hers who had climbed all the 2000 footers in the Lake District. I asked her if he had taken ages to do it. She, quite innocently, replied "No, he did them in one fell swoop"!

I've finished this but have a question mark next to 41a:

Illegally take power after America backs sport (5)

The answer is obvious but I don't see the significance of "sport".

Nice story Chrise. We use these expressions often without wondering where the individual words come from.

The RU is the sport - Rugby Union, US, America (reversed/back) + P, power.

Sorry, it is of course the RU that is reversed!

I must confess to a bit of an advantage on this one as my son works for one of the answers and despite a basic lack of interest on my part, it seems to have seeped in, by a sort of osmosis! A distinct lack of free samples however.

Thanks, malone! I have indeed seen RU in crosswords. Pity the poor provincial Yank.

I am still trying to find 1d unclued.
Any hint?

Bows

Aristophanes, glad I could help. I'd forgotten you were a poor, provincial Yank, so was relieved to hear you'd seen RU before.