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Hello, Elle!
A "sou" was currency in France once upon a time, as AB has pointed out.
It was the "aphone" part I could not grasp.
I knew "ph" had something to do with acidic soil/gardening, but could not "get" the rest!
On reflection it is a good clue, I think!
I liked 5a, 10a, and 11d.
Very good news about your dog!

Hello, AB!
I did not consider that "change" meant "cash"......I was thinking of "alter"!
So that explains that part of the clue........
But what about "element"?
I thought o f" A ph one" but then wondered about the ne part being neon??......

Hi, Rusty!
I seem inclined to over complicate these wretched clues!
It didn't occur to me that change meant money!
I still feel the need to accommodate "element" though?
Maybe Ne for neon, as I suggested before?
I am happy with a ph 0.........
I haven't yet finished the crossword.......
I just looked at 13d and the clues around that, because you had raised a query.
I think (very) strong coffee is going to be needed if I am to carry on....!

This is discussed elsewhere - copied and pasted >>>>>>

SOUS (in France, once, change), A, PH ONE (strongly acidic element). On the PH scale the acid range is PH 0-6 so PH1 is pretty strong. Once again being very nit-picky, I wonder whether a single brass instrument qualifies as 'brass'. [On edit: Lou Reed has kindly suggested this alternative parsing: SOUS (in France, once, change), A (a), PH 0 (strongly acidic), NE (element - neon).

Hello, Elle!
I think I should have held my tongue about the blooming clue, now!
(Just joking!)
I did not know there was a "ph 0".
In my innocence I thought it would start at ph 1!
Yes, you carry on, Elle!
It is a good puzzle!

Hello, Cerasus!
Thank you for posting the info.
I am glad I am not the only one who was a tad puzzled by the clue.
I did not realise there was a "ph 0"
I was reading it as "ph one"!
Always learning!

Hi, Rusty!
Oops! We very nearly crossed!
I was just about to type, when I saw your latest post........!
Oh no, I am glad that you started the discussion about the clue.......
I have enjoyed the interchange of thoughts about it!
Yes, there is very definitely a ph of 0!
This (to me; be it 0 or one) was the easy bit of the clue!
I made heavy weather of the beginning part!
It would be nice to know for sure about "neon"..........
I have done all that I can of the puzzle.
I am stuck in the bottom right- hand corner......
Four clues that interlock.......25a, 27a, 22d and 23d.....?
Help?
I am going out for a quick walk.......back soon......



Thank you, Cerasus..,,,,, it is good to know that I am not completely at sea with the idea of "neon".
Who is Lou (he/ she?) Reed?

Elle
Lou Weed/ Reed is a contributor on the Times site where crosswords are discussed. Other contributors suggested that the definition was
"element of brass" !

Hello, Elle!
Ah, you scientists have the edge on me with your ph ratings!
I do not think much of 25a.
I shall start you off.
"Pet circles round". Pet=cat, round=o, giving "coat".
22, hint, Cassius Clay, the boxer, became Muhammad "???".
23, definition is "quid" as in tobacco.
A big "swallow" quickly, would be the drink.
Up, means reversed.
27 "bird", think "prison" slang, Elle.
The "call" bit, could be phoning.
There!
You should sail through now!

It's actually possible to have negative pHs. It's a calculated rather than an assigned scale,

Now the technical bit! It's actually the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. For example, 1/10th of a mole per litre would be 10^-1. The logarithm is the power of 10, so is -1; the pH is thus 1.

Concentrated hydrochloric acid has a hydrogen ion concentration of getting on for 100 moles per litre. If it was 100, this would be 10^2; the logarithm is 2, hence the pH would be -2.