There is a difference between "tricks other than
the one currently in progress" [emphasis mine] and "tricks other than
one [emphasis again mine] currently in progress". The former implies that there must be a trick in progress, the latter does not. So the former construction implies that claims can only be made during the play period when there is a trick in progress and the latter does not. The law uses the latter construction, which does support Sven's position.
It occurs to me that no one in his right mind is going to claim any tricks unless he has enough information to conclude that he has those tricks (and probably no more). So I would not expect anyone to claim during a live auction (or before the auction), even if it's legal to do so, unless he has 37 HCP in his hand. I don't know what the odds are of anyone being dealt that hand, but I'd guess they're vanishingly small.
All that said, I guess the TD must rule any claim, whenever made, on its merits, and probably ignore the question whether the timing is legal.
Edit: been thinking about this a little more. Suppose a player takes his hand out of the board, examines the faces of his cards (Law 7B2), and then claims 7NT making. "Play ceases". Now suppose the claimer's LHO has an ace. Are you going to prohibit him from doubling? After all, play has ceased. If you do, is this fair? If you do not, how are you (legally) getting around "play ceases"? The problem is even worse if he claims any lesser contract than 7NT before the auction is over, because now the opponents might sacrifice. And the claimer's side might bid on - but now "claimer's" partner has an awful lot of UI.
While I agree that it's silly to call the director to object to a claim solely on the basis that it wasn't made during the play period, it seems to me that whatever the law says or doesn't say about when claims are allowed, it makes no sense to allow them before the open lead is faced. I think that if there are no problems arising during the clarification period that might result in a change to the table contract, a claim in that period can probably be handled okay, but that alone is no justification for saying it's legal, or even should be legal.
Oh, and I assume that everyone would agree that one cannot claim before the conditions of Law 7B2 have been met.
This post has been edited by blackshoe: 2013-February-06, 23:01
Reason for edit: additional thoughts