Madam, - I have recently seen, in The Irish Timesand elsewhere, several references to the expression "back to square one", in each case attributing its origin to a notional division of a football pitch for the purpose radio commentary
The expression, which is always used in the sense of returning to one's starting point, is much older than radio; it is derived from board games in which an unlucky throw of the dice might return one to the opening square. Square one on a playing pitch carries no implication of a starting point; square one on a snakes and ladders board certainly does. - Yours, etc,
E. MICHAEL BOOTH, Stonebridge Road, Shankill, Dublin 18.