cleveref: "Fig" for citing multiple subfigures from the same figure, but "Figs" when citing multiple subfigures from different figures

Question

For one of our journal submissions, the editorial office has sent us the following remark:

The singular "Fig" should be used when citing panels of the same figure, e.g. "Fig 3A and 3B" or "Fig 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D". The plural "Figs" should be used when the panels belong to different figures e.g. "Figs 3A and 4B", or "Figs 3A, 4B, 5C, and 5D".

We're using cleveref in the document, and the "panels" in the figures are different subfigures. This is what we're currently using to set up cleveref:

\usepackage[capitalise]{cleveref}
\crefformat{figure}{#2Fig~#1#3}
\Crefformat{figure}{#2Fig~#1#3}
\crefmultiformat{figure}{Figs~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\Crefmultiformat{figure}{Figs~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Fig~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\Crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Fig~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}

Whatever is specified in the last two commands ("Fig" or "Figs") applies to all lists of subfigures, irrespective of whether they are from the same figure or not. Would someone know if it is possible to implement the convention required by the publishers? I did look at the cleveref documentation but couldn't figure out if this could be done simply by updating the cleveref configuration above.

Here's the MWE:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{csquotes}
\usepackage[aboveskip=1pt,labelfont=bf,labelsep=period,justification=raggedright,singlelinecheck=off]{caption}
\renewcommand{\figurename}{Fig}
\usepackage{subcaption}
\renewcommand{\thesubfigure}{\Alph{subfigure}}
\captionsetup[subfigure]{labelfont={sf,bf},labelsep=space,labelformat=simple,margin=-15pt,skip=-10pt,position=top}
\captionsetup[figure]{skip=5pt,labelfont={bf},position=bottom}
\usepackage[capitalise]{cleveref}
\crefformat{figure}{#2Fig~#1#3}
\Crefformat{figure}{#2Fig~#1#3}
\crefmultiformat{figure}{Figs~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\Crefmultiformat{figure}{Figs~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Fig~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\Crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Fig~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{mwe}


\begin{document}
\begin{figure}[!t]
  \centering
  \begin{subfigure}[c]{0.53\textwidth}
    \subcaption{}\label{fig:1a}%
    \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{example-image}% Image from the mwe package
    \end{subfigure}\quad%
    \begin{subfigure}[c]{0.40\textwidth}
      \subcaption{}\label{fig:1b}%
      \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{example-image}% Image from the mwe package
      \end{subfigure}
      \caption{Test figure 1}\label{fig:1}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[!t]
  \centering
  \begin{subfigure}[c]{0.53\textwidth}
    \subcaption{}\label{fig:2a}
    \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{example-image}% Image from the mwe package
    \end{subfigure}\quad%
    \begin{subfigure}[c]{0.40\textwidth}
      \subcaption{}\label{fig:2b}%
      \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{example-image}% Image from the mwe package
      \end{subfigure}\vspace{0.2cm}
      \caption{Test figure 2}\label{fig:2}
\end{figure}
\Cref{fig:1a,fig:1b} or \cref{fig:2a,fig:2b} should say \enquote{Fig} but \cref{fig:1a,fig:1b,fig:2a,fig:2b} should use \enquote{Figs}.

\end{document}

and here's the output:

Answer 1

You can resort to defining two languages, English, as the default, and another (I choose Dutch), and then change the caption by selecting the secondary language.

Add to the preamble

%% ***************************************** added
\usepackage[dutch, english]{babel}
\makeatletter
\addto\captionsdutch{%
\crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Figs~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\Crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Figs~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
}
\addto\captionsenglish{%
\crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Fig~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\Crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Fig~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
}
\makeatother    

\newcommand{\crefx}[1]{% <<<<<<<<
    \selectlanguage{dutch}%
        \cref{#1}%
    \selectlanguage{english}% 
}
%% ***************************************** added

and use the command \crefx

This is the complete code.

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{csquotes}
\usepackage[aboveskip=1pt,labelfont=bf,labelsep=period,justification=raggedright,singlelinecheck=off]{caption}
\renewcommand{\figurename}{Fig}
\usepackage{subcaption}
\renewcommand{\thesubfigure}{\Alph{subfigure}}
\captionsetup[subfigure]{labelfont={sf,bf},labelsep=space,labelformat=simple,margin=-15pt,skip=-10pt,position=top}
\captionsetup[figure]{skip=5pt,labelfont={bf},position=bottom}

\usepackage[capitalise, english]{cleveref}% <<<<<<<<<<<<<<

\crefformat{figure}{#2Fig~#1#3}
\Crefformat{figure}{#2Fig~#1#3}
\crefmultiformat{figure}{Figs~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\Crefmultiformat{figure}{Figs~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Fig~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\Crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Fig~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}

\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{mwe}

%% ***************************************** added
\usepackage[dutch, english]{babel}
\makeatletter
\addto\captionsdutch{%
\crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Figs~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\Crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Figs~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
}
\addto\captionsenglish{%
\crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Fig~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
\Crefmultiformat{subfigure}{Fig~#2#1#3}{ and~#2#1#3}{, #2#1#3}{, and~#2#1#3}
}
\makeatother    

\newcommand{\crefx}[1]{% <<<<<<<<
    \selectlanguage{dutch}%
        \cref{#1}%
    \selectlanguage{english}% 
}
%% ***************************************** added

\begin{document}
\begin{figure}[!t]
    \centering
    \begin{subfigure}[c]{0.53\textwidth}
        \subcaption{}\label{fig:1a}%
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{example-image}% Image from the mwe package
    \end{subfigure}\quad%
    \begin{subfigure}[c]{0.40\textwidth}
        \subcaption{}\label{fig:1b}%
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{example-image}% Image from the mwe package
    \end{subfigure}
    \caption{Test figure 1}\label{fig:1}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[!t]
    \centering
    \begin{subfigure}[c]{0.53\textwidth}
        \subcaption{}\label{fig:2a}
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{example-image}% Image from the mwe package
    \end{subfigure}\quad%
    \begin{subfigure}[c]{0.40\textwidth}
        \subcaption{}\label{fig:2b}%
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{example-image}% Image from the mwe package
    \end{subfigure}\vspace{0.2cm}
    \caption{Test figure 2}\label{fig:2}
\end{figure}

\Cref{fig:1a,fig:1b} or \cref{fig:2a,fig:2b} should say \enquote{Fig}       

\crefx{fig:1a,fig:1b,fig:2a,fig:2b} should use \enquote{Figs}. % <<<<<<<<<<<<<< changed     

But not \enquote{Fig} like in  \cref{fig:1a,fig:1b,fig:2a,fig:2b}       
    
\end{document}

NOTE cleveref needs to be tell the default language when using babel:

\usepackage[capitalise, english]{cleveref}%