Crossword Genius

Singer embracing Liberal lord, everyone embraced by Count! (3,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

all told

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'everyone embraced by count' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'singer embracing liberal lord' is the wordplay.
'singer' becomes 'alto' (alto is a kind of singer).
'embracing' indicates putting letters inside.
'liberal' becomes 'l' (abbreviation).
'lord' becomes 'ld' (abbreviation for the aristocratic title).
'alto' placed around 'l' is 'allto'.
'allto'+'ld'='ALL TOLD'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for all told that I've seen before include "Altogether" , "Including everything" , "Taking everything into account" , "With everything or everyone taken into account" , "To summarise" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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