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(r)EGRESS minus (r)ecipe.

I’m not quite happy with 28d. “Go out” is the def, obvs, then “go back” for regress is clear, but to get recipe from “take” we have to use the etymology of recipe, as attested in CED admittedly, but I’m not sure that words clues by their etymology rather than their meaning is something I’ve seen before. Is it something that is generally done? Then having got recipe, we “off” a standard abbreviation for it from regress to get the answer.

All done and sent off but I’ve got a few parsing challenges I’d love a hint or two for please :-)

12 — I’ve read wintonian’s hint, but still can’t see how to extend “the” to make something which would be a helot in Sparta!

21 — “festival art”: I think I need to extend the second word to complete the wordplay for my answer, but “arrte” and “artet” aren’t real words. Am I just being too picky? Or am on the wrong track?

30 — “count fish”: I think I need to extend the first word to complete the definition for my answer, but can’t see how!

37 — got the word, but don’t get the last three words of the clue.

4 — got the word, but don’t get the first two words of the clue.

Sorry: the key part of 37 is “[so] worthless to Scots”, and the key part of 4 is “Spanish judge [releasing fifty in exchange for island]”.

For 37, the last three words form the definition (I've just checked Chambers).

12 The three letters are a word meaning veto, forbid. Added to the 'the' they make a common crossword word.

Thanks malone, but I must be being really dim here! My answer for 37 is defined by the first part of the clue “The devil in Dublin”. Have I the wrong word?? Seems unlikely given the number of checked letters, unless I’ve gone wayyy wrong! And for 12, you mean a native of the city? How is a Spartan one of those a helot?

Thanks malone, but I must be being really dim here! My answer for 37 is defined by the first part of the clue “The devil in Dublin”. Have I the wrong word?? Seems unlikely given the number of checked letters, unless I’ve gone wayyy wrong! And for 12, you mean a native of the city? How is a Spartan one of those a helot?

Mooncow, a massive apology! I was looking at this week's puzzle. Hope I haven't wasted too much of your time.

Hi, mooncow and malone,

For the helot clue (12ac in last week’s puzzle), the word I was thinking of was “thete”, which was a serf or poor freeman in Athens.

In 37ac, the definition is indeed “the devil in Dublin”. The word “so” has lost three letters in the wordplay.

Thanks, Wintonian. I used my memory for adding to the 'the', and looked at this week's puzzle for the other one. I'm really glad you've been able to help!