Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 31277
A full review by Rahmat Ali
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This puzzle was published on 27th June 2026
BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****
Greetings from Kolkata. A truly interesting Saturday puzzle from NYDK that I enjoyed solving and thereafter writing a review of the same for your kind perusal and significant feedback.
Brahms, the answer to the clue of 1d, is the surname of Johannes Brahms (1833–1897), one of the foremost German composers of the Romantic era. Renowned also as a virtuoso pianist and conductor, he composed symphonies, concertos, chamber music, piano works and songs that combined classical discipline with Romantic expressiveness. In Cockney rhyming slang, however, ‘Brahms’ has an entirely different meaning. It is a shortened form of the phrase ‘Brahms and Liszt’, which rhymes with ‘pissed’ meaning ‘drunk’, making ‘Brahms’ a colloquial term for being blotto or heavily intoxicated. I learnt this from the internet. However, after solving the puzzle, I searched the internet again to expand my knowledge on Cockney rhyming slang. I learnt that is a distinctive form of English slang traditionally associated with the working-class people of London’s East End, especially those known as Cockneys. By strict tradition, a true Cockney is defined as someone born within earshot of the Bow Bells, which are the church bells of St. Mary-le-Bow Church in the City of London. Rhyming slang developed during the mid-nineteenth century and works by replacing a common word with a phrase whose final word rhymes with the intended meaning. Often, the rhyming word is then omitted, making the expression difficult for outsiders to understand. For example, ‘apples and pears’ means ‘stairs’, ‘trouble and strife’ means ‘wife’, ‘boat race’ means ‘face’ and ‘loaf of bread’ means ‘head’, often shortened simply to ‘loaf’. Historians believe that this style of speech developed partly as a secret code among market traders, street vendors and members of London’s criminal underworld, allowing them to communicate without being easily understood by customers, police or strangers. It also became a source of humour, wit and group identity, reflecting the Cockneys’ creativity and sense of community. During the twentieth century, Cockney rhyming slang spread through popular culture, films, television and music, becoming recognised throughout Britain and even abroad. Today, however, it is less commonly used in everyday conversation by younger residents of the East End because of social mobility, migration and changes in London’s population. Nevertheless, many classic expressions remain widely understood and new rhyming slang continues to be invented, often using the names of modern celebrities and public figures. As a result, Cockney rhyming slang survives as an important and colourful part of London’s linguistic and cultural heritage. Now coming to ‘Brahms and Liszt’, I felt that the conjunction ‘and’ and Liszt may have been excluded as usual from the names of the pair to arrive at a Cockney rhyming slang, but I wanted to really know about Liszt. I further learnt that during the latter half of the nineteenth century, for many passionate music lovers, the phrase ‘Brahms and Liszt’ signified opposite and mutually exclusive tastes in contemporary music. Oddly enough, it was the younger German, Johannes Brahms, who represented the more conservative, traditionally structured side of the spectrum, while the older Hungarian, Franz Liszt, represented a freer, less structured style, dubbed ‘the music of the future’. Brahms and Liszt first met in 1853, when Liszt was 41 and Brahms just 20 years old. The young American composer and pianist William Mason, also in his 20s, was present at the meeting, which took place at Liszt’s home in Weimar. Mason recalled the historic encounter in his memoirs. Liszt read at sight the manuscript of one of Brahms’ early piano pieces and praised the young composer’s work. When pressed by those present for some of his own music, Liszt began playing his recently completed Sonata in B-Minor, arguably one of his finest works. Midway through the piece it became embarrassingly apparent that the young Johannes Brahms had fallen asleep in his chair. Maybe it was the summer heat, perhaps sleep deprivation or maybe, as some must have thought at the time, Brahms was just bored. In any case, Liszt was understandably miffed, and after finishing his Sonata, rose from the piano and left the room without a word.
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Across
1a Meat on toast for Makerfield candidate (7)
BURNHAM: HAM (meat) as a cut of meat from the thigh of a hog, often cured by salting or smoking preceded by or coming after (on) BURN (toast) as to toast, scorch or sear leads to the definition of a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament for Makerfield since June 2026 and whose full name is Andy Burnham
5a Neat home for saint (7)
CRISPIN: A charade of CRISP (neat) as an adjective denoting neat or clean and orderly and IN (home) as at or inside one’s home results in the definition referring to St. Crispin or the patron saint of shoemakers who, along with his brother St. Crispinian, was martyred in the third century for trying to spread Christianity
9a A hotel in mountain area (5)
ALPHA: The definition of the code word for A in the NATO phonetic alphabet is reached from H (hotel) as the letter represented by Hotel in the NATO phonetic alphabet placed inside (in) a combo of ALP (mountain) as referring to a high rugged mountain and A (area) as the abbreviation for area
10a Vanity case a magic one possibly (9)
EGOMANIAC: The definition of an abnormally egotistical person who is full of vanity is reached when A MAGIC ONE is subject to an anagram (possibly)
11a City chap with approving shout crossing street (10)
MANCHESTER: The definition of a major city and metropolitan borough in the northwest of England with a rich industrial heritage is obtained from MAN (chap) as an adult male, colloquially referred to as chap followed by (with) CHEER (approving shout) as a shout of approval, encouragement or congratulation going across (crossing) ST (street) as the abbreviation for street that is a type of paved way in a city, town or village
12a Inspector calls arresting killer (4)
ORCA: Part of or hidden inside (arresting) [INSPECT]OR CA[LLS] leads to the definition of the black-and-white toothed whale of the killer-whale genus Orca
14a Stag in action surprisingly hostile (12)
ANTAGONISTIC: An anagram (surprisingly) of STAG IN ACTION takes to the definition of an adjective denoting unfriendly, inimical or hostile
18a New eponym worked for lad on warship (6,6)
POWDER MONKEY: An anagram (new) of EPONYM WORKED guides to the definition of the historical term for a boy who carried powder from the magazine to the guns on warships
21a Standard newsman’s opening letter, or the one previously written? (4)
NORM: The definition of a noun meaning standard, model or pattern is reached from the starting or initial letter (opening letter) of N[EWSMAN] (newsman’s), followed by OR from the clue and M (the one previously written) as the letter coming just before N in the English alphabet that was previously written
22a Clever Dick runs story during strike (5,5)
SMART ALECK: The definition of a person who is irritating because they behave as if they know everything, an example of which is a clever Dick i.e. one who is irritatingly and ostentatiously knowledgeable or intelligent is arrived at from a combination of R (runs) as the abbreviation for run or runs scored in cricket and TALE (story) as a narrative or story taken inside (during) SMACK (strike) as to strike or slap smartly, with or as if with the open hand
25a Punished errant waif almost drops (9)
RAINWATER: An anagram (punished) of a combo of ERRANT and most of the letters (almost) of WAI[F] leads to the definition of drops of fresh water that fall as precipitation from clouds
26a Highwayman powerless in Piedmont city (5)
TURIN: TUR[P]IN (highwayman) as referring to Dick Turpin, the infamous eighteenth-century English highwayman whose exploits were romanticised following his execution in York for horse theft without or less the use of P (powerless) as referring to the symbol of power in physics not put to use yields the definition of a major industrial and capital city of the Piedmont region in north-western Italy
27a He joins the writer in SCR for Mastermind (7)
SCHEMER: A combo of HE from the clue and (joins) ME (the writer) as referring to the writer or setter of this puzzle placed inside (in) SCR guides to the definition of someone who makes clever, secret schemes or plans, often to deceive others, an example of which is a mastermind i.e. a highly intelligent person, especially one who plans and directs a complex or difficult project
28a Crime racket here and there in two US cities (7)
LARCENY: The definition of theft of personal property with the intent of permanently depriving the owner, which, in English law, was replaced as a statutory crime by theft in 1968 is arrived at from the alternate letters (here and there) of R[A]C[K]E[T] placed in between (in) LA and NY (two US cities) as the respective abbreviations of the two cities Los Angeles and New York of the United States
Down
1d German composer blotto in Bow (6)
BRAHMS: The definition of the surname of a German composer, virtuoso pianist and conductor of the mid-Romantic period, whose full name is Johannes Brahms is arrived at from the first half of a Cockney rhyming slang expression ‘Brahms and Liszt’ meaning ‘pissed’ that rhymes with ‘Liszt’ and while both the conjunction ‘and’ and the rhyming word ‘Liszt’ are omitted, ‘Brahms’ alone cryptically denotes being helplessly drunk (blotto) in or as used by East End Londoners traditionally born within earshot of the Bow Bells (in Bow)
2d Advice to those sinning soldiers in captivity (6)
REPENT: The definition of a verb meaning to feel remorse, contrition or self-reproach for what some people have done or failed to do or to be sorry for their past sins that can also, on the other hand, serve as advice by well-wishers or church or legal authorities to those sinning is reached from a charade of RE (soldiers) as the abbreviation for Royal Engineers who are trained multi-skilled soldiers, combat engineers and tradesmen and PENT (in captivity) as an adjective denoting shut in, closely confined or in captivity
3d Kept watch having brought in electronic recruiter (10)
HEADHUNTER: A combo of HAD (kept) as kept or possessed and HUNTER (watch) as referring to a hunting watch that is a type of watch with a hinged metal lid or case to protect the crystal bringing inside (brought in) E (electronic) as the abbreviation for electronic e.g. electronic mail abbreviated as email guides to the definition of a recruiter of personnel, especially for corporations
4d Matches in sporting events (5)
MEETS: Double definition; the second being a plural noun referring to sporting competitions such as track meets or swim meets as different events that corresponds to the first a verb in the present tense third person singular form denoting matches, satisfies or fulfils
5d Having fool around does unfortunately end business (5,4)
CLOSE DOWN: Having CLOWN (fool) as a boor, oaf or fool placed about (around) an anagram (unfortunately) of DOES results in the definition of a phrasal verb meaning to end a business permanently
6d First person fled the country (4)
IRAN: A charade of I (first person) as the pronoun used for the first person singular form and RAN (fled) as a verb in the past tense denoting fled or escaped guides to the definition of the country in West Asia between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf that was formerly known as Persia
7d Italian in religious house for preference (8)
PRIORITY: IT (Italian) as the abbreviation for Italian placed inside (in) PRIORY (religious house) as a religious house governed by a prior or prioress, often dependent upon an abbey guides to the definition of a noun meaning preference, precedence or the state of being more important
8d Can he con criminal? Most unlikely! (2,6)
NO CHANCE: An anagram (criminal) of CAN HE CON guides to the definition of a phrase denoting completely impossible or most unlikely
13d Judge commenting on merits of cases? (4,6)
WINE TASTER: A cryptic definition of a connoisseur, evaluator or judge commenting on the merits or quality of the different wines kept in their cases
15d Two grads change trousers in their old college? (4,5)
ALMA MATER: ALTER (change) as a verb meaning to change or modify hides or takes inside (trousers) MAMA (two grads) as cryptically-formed plural of the degree of the Master of Arts that can also be a combo of MA and MA as two post-graduate degrees, leading to the definition of the school, college or university that one formerly attended and here referred to as their old college
16d At university elected members indignant (2,2,4)
UP IN ARMS: A charade of UP (at university) as an adverb denoting to or at university, IN (elected) as an adjective denoting chosen or elected to office or power and ARMS (members) as referring to the upper limbs or members of the human body leads to the definition of an idiomatic phrase denoting extremely upset, angry or indignant
17d Rather small daughter fighting shark? (8)
DWARFISH: The definition of an adjective meaning like a dwarf, especially in being rather too small is reached from a charade of D (daughter) as the genealogical abbreviation for daughter, WAR (fighting) as armed fighting as a profession or open, prolonged fighting between two or more nations and FISH (shark) as any of a large group of cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates having jaws, gills and usually fins and a skin covered in scales, an example of which is a shark i.e. any of numerous cartilaginous fishes of the subclass Elasmobranchii that are chiefly carnivorous and marine
19d Automatic pilot sends echo through valley (6)
GEORGE: The definition of the airmen’s slang for an automatic pilot of an aircraft is obtained from E (echo) as the letter represented by Echo in the NATO phonetic alphabet taken inside (through) GORGE (valley) as a deep narrow valley with steep rocky sides
20d Thin air outside tavern (6)
SKINNY: The definition of an adjective meaning extremely thin is fetched from SKY (air) as referring to the upper air as seen from the surface of the earth placed around (outside) INN (tavern) as a tavern or restaurantas rneced about an adjective meaning extremely thin is fetched from at from the e crystal bringing inside is reached from orr
23d Bucolic Republican with Russian banker (5)
RURAL: The definition of an adjective meaning bucolic, rustic or characteristic of the countryside is arrived at from a charade of R (Republican) as the abbreviation for Republican and (with) URAL (Russian banker) as referring to Russia’s Ural River that obviously possesses riverbanks along its sides
24d Survive in sunless Wimborne (4)
SWIM: The definition of a verb meaning to survive or manage e.g. ‘swimming through the week’ is part of or hidden inside (in) [SUNLES]S WIM[BORNE]
There were several clues that I liked in this puzzle such as 5a, 9a, 10a, 18a, 21a, 28a, 5d, 8d, 13d, 15d and 20d; 13d being the best of the lot. My prayers to the Almighty for the eternal rest and peace of BD and my thanks to NYDK for the entertainment. Looking forward to seeing you here again. Have a nice day.