A tribute from Eimi for a milestone birthday.
I noticed a couple of references to “Bob” in the clues, and a lot of italics that looked like titles, so there was clearly something going on. It didn’t take too many clues before a quick guess-and-check: Bob Dylan is 80 today. Eimi has gone to some trouble to get in an impressive number of Dylan references (not to mention other musical elements): as well as those in italics in the clues, there are many others in the wordplay or answers. I’ve tried to note these along the way, but no doubt some diehard fans will find a few that I missed. For those who aren’t diehard fans, almost all the clues can be solved without any Bob Dylan knowledge, though some surfaces may seem a bit convoluted if you don’t get the references.
It’s hard to pick a favourite clue, but I liked 20a (the obligatory cricket reference), 18d (which would be a perfectly good non-thematic clue, but the surface in this context adds an extra twist), and the slightly contorted thematic 9d.
Thanks Eimi – and happy birthday Bob.
Definitions are underlined; BOLD UPPERCASE indicates letters used in the wordplay; square brackets [ ] indicate omitted letters; Italics are the titles of Bob Dylan songs or albums, unless noted otherwise.
| ACROSS | ||
| 7 | NASHVILLE |
Singer-songwriter, very unwell, finding solace finally in country’s capital (9)
|
| NASH (singer-songwriter Graham Nash, I assume, though there are others with the same surname) + V (very) + ILL (unwell) + final letter of [solac]E.
Not the capital of a country, but the “capital of country music” = Nashville, Tennessee. The solution also goes with 10a, referring to the Bob Dylan album Nashville Skyline. |
||
| 8 | HAZEL |
Girl needing guide through underworld realm of the dead (5)
|
| AZ (A-Z = street atlas = guide: the original was for London but there are also versions for other places), inserted into (through) HEL (afterlife location in Norse mythology = realm of the dead).
Girl’s name, but specifically the title of a Bob Dylan song. |
||
| 10 | SKYLINE |
Broadcaster’s policy for Horizon (7)
|
| SKY (broadcaster = media and telecoms group) + LINE (policy, as in “taking a hard line on” something).
I assume the italics are a reference to the song Beyond the Horizon; the solution follows on from 7a as an album title. |
||
| 11 | NOBEL |
Singer Simon sent back Bob’s 2016 prize (5)
|
| The singer is Simon LE BON from Duran Duran, reversed (sent back).
In 2016, Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature; see 18d for more on this. |
||
| 12 | VIENNA |
Compete with new article about city in which Bob offered to pose or play (6)
|
| VIE (compete) + N (new), then AN (a form of the indefinite article) reversed (about).
The definition refers to a 2019 concert in Vienna where Bob Dylan got annoyed at an audience member trying to take photographs: his reaction was “we can either play or we can pose”. |
||
| 13 | INFIDELS |
Heart of Mine: revolutionary’s Obviously 5 Believers (actually none) (8)
|
| Middle letters (heart) of [m]IN[e] + FIDEL’S (revolutionary’s, referring to Fidel Castro of Cuba).
Infidels = non-believers (Infidels is also a Bob Dylan album title). The “Obviously 5” doesn’t seem to contribute much to the wordplay, but is part of the song title. |
||
| 14 | PEPYS |
Reported looks of a chronicler of his age (5)
|
| Homophone (reported) of PEEPS (looks).
The 17th-century diarist Samuel Pepys, whose name is not pronounced in the way one might expect. |
||
| 15 | TRACK |
Follow something on an album (one with blood on?) (5)
|
| Triple definition. Track (as a verb) = follow a trail; track = a song on a record (album); or a reference to the Bob Dylan album Blood on the Tracks. | ||
| 20 | ALASTAIR |
One final song from Captain Cook? (8)
|
| A (one) + LAST (final) + AIR (song).
Sir Alastair Cook, former England cricket captain (and also former choirboy, hence the surface). |
||
| 22 | HUNGRY |
Depended on lines to express craving (feeling after One Too Many Mornings) (6)
|
| HUNG (depended) + RY (railway = lines).
Two definitions. Hungry = craving; and the Bob Dylan song One Too Many Mornings includes a line about “a restless hungry feeling”. |
||
| 23 | SAVED |
Divine being’s returned redeemed (5)
|
| DEVA’S (Deva = term for a divine being in Hinduism), reversed (returned).
Saved = redeemed, and also the title of a Bob Dylan album. |
||
| 24 | MORCEAU |
Piece of music that’s short, to a greater extent in audition (7)
|
| Homophone (in audition) of MORE SO = to a greater extent.
A short piece of music: from the French word meaning “a small piece”, similar to “morsel” in English. |
||
| 25 | DIRGE |
Mournful song from first of Dylan’s Island records with two chords (5)
|
| First letters of D[ylan’s] I[sland] R[ecords], then G + E (which might be two guitar chords). | ||
| 26 | TARANTULA |
Former quiz show host losing heart with stripped Disney heroine revealing something hairy (9)
|
| TAR[r]ANT (Chris Tarrant, former host of the quiz show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?), with the middle letter missing (losing heart), then [m]ULA[n] (Disney heroine) with the outer letters removed (stripped). I gave up on this one until I had several crossers; there are just too many former quiz show hosts and Disney heroines to choose from. | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | CAUSTIC |
Sarcastic about American movement that’s not voluntary (7)
|
| CA (ca = circa = about) + US (American) + TIC (movement that’s not voluntary). | ||
| 2 | CHEYENNE |
“Coy mistress” said native of Minnesota once (8)
|
| Homophone (said) of SHY ANNE = coy mistress? The surface suggests Andrew Marvell’s poem To His Coy Mistress, though I don’t know what her name was.
Native American tribe, who were living in what is now Minnesota before European settlers took over. |
||
| 3 | MILITARY BANDS |
Animals try bid to unsettle other groups of musicians (8,5)
|
| Anagram (to unsettle) of ANIMALS TRY BID. The surface suggests the 1960s group The Animals, definitely something other than a military band. | ||
| 4 | ALGERIA |
Country musician Kooper I rage about (7)
|
| AL (musician Al Kooper, who played Hammond organ on some Bob Dylan tracks) + anagram (about) of I RAGE. | ||
| 5 | DAY BED |
Lounger rising late securing cushy job at last (3,3)
|
| DEAD (late), reversed (rising = upwards in a down clue), containing (securing) the last letters of [cush]Y [jo]B. | ||
| 6 | TELL-ALL |
One who shot his bolt taking lines and acid originally is very revealing (4-3)
|
| TELL (the archer William Tell = one who shot bolts), containing (taking) LL (lines) + first letter (originally) of A[cid]. | ||
| 9 | ONE FOR THE ROAD |
Hopefully this won’t get you Knocked Out Loaded before Highway 61 Revisited (3,3,3,4)
|
| Cryptic definition, based on two Bob Dylan album titles. One for the road = a drink before leaving to go home (preferably not as a driver, of course). So it’s getting loaded (but hopefully not enough to knock you out) before you revisit the highway. Alternatively, you could split it into two cryptic definitions: Hopefully this won’t get you knocked out / Loaded before Highway 51 Revisited.
And of course One for the Road is another Bob Dylan song. |
||
| 16 | CONCERTS |
Gas about formerly getting openings for Rolling Thunder gigs (8)
|
| CS (CS gas = tear gas), around ONCE (formerly) + opening letters of R[olling] T[hunder]. A reference to the Bob Dylan tour called the Rolling Thunder Revue. | ||
| 17 | CLASSIC |
Form I see creating great work (7)
|
| CLASS (form, in school) + I + C (see = a name for the letter C). | ||
| 18 | GRAMMAR |
Artist upset after music award mostly for use of language (7)
|
| RA (Royal Academician = artist), reversed (upset = upwards in a down clue), after GRAMM[y] (nickname of the Gramophone Award; mostly = last letter dropped).
The surface suggests Bob Dylan’s reaction to being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (for his lyrics as poetry), which doesn’t seem to have been entirely enthusiastic. He wasn’t in any hurry to accept it, and pointed out in his acceptance essay that the lyrics were intended to be heard as part of a song, not read as poetry. |
||
| 19 | TROUBLE |
Take pains to get money from Russia after start of tour (7)
|
| ROUBLE (money from Russia) after the starting letter of T[our]. | ||
| 21 | SAVAGE |
Wild when bible’s assimilated by wise man (6)
|
| AV (Authorised Version, otherwise known as the King James Bible) contained in (assimilated by) SAGE (wise man). |
There’s usually a reason for an Eimi crossword and as Quirister says, it became obvious fairly early on that this was an 80th birthday celebration for a certain well-known singer
Happy Birthday Bob and thanks to Eimi and Quirister
What a strange puzzle. The themed references to Dylan songs/albums in 13a, 15a, 22a & 9d led to very clunky clues, but those aside this was good fun.
I didn’t know the underworld realm in 8a and had to do a bit of research to unearth the Disney heroine in 28a. I was at a loss to understand why “mistress” was used to clue the second half of 2d, although I did find out that Andrew Marvell’s wife was called ANNE.
Happy Birthday to Mr. Zimmerman, and thanks to Eimi and to Quirister.
Rabbit Dave @2: The poet Andrew Marvell, who wrote To His Coy Mistress, wasn’t married as far as I can find out, and we have no record of whether the poem was addressed to anyone in particular. I found a few “his wife Anne” references but they’re talking about the poet’s father, also called Andrew – so Anne was the poet’s mother, not his wife. Confusing!
Thanks Eimi and Quirister
As well as the links already pointed out
13: Heart Of Mine is also a Dylan song
25: as well as being a mournful song, Dirge is the title of a song on Planet Waves, which was Dylan’s first non-Columbia album, initially released on Island Records in the UK.
26: Tarantula is the title of Dylan’s first book, written 1956-66
2: Dylan was brought up in Hibbing, Minnesota
19: Trouble is also the title of a song on Shot Of Love
And possibly 3: The Animals first big success was with House Of The Rising Sun, which had appeared on Dylan’s first album
Fortunately, as Quirister observes, a detailed knowledge of Bob’s oeuvre isn’t required to complete this. Otherwise I’d have stood no chance as his music as always left me cold, I’m afraid. The theme was clear but of no particular help and, as RD points out, some of the – clever – surfaces do appear a tad clunky as a result. Thanks to Simon S for the extra connections.
Might we be overthinking ‘mistress’? It could just be an alternative to woman, lady or any other female and, thus, lead us to a girl’s name. We get plenty of clues where guy, chap or man leads us to a male name. And, sometimes, a similarly wide range of alternatives from which to choose.
A toss up for favourite between HAZEL for the rarely seen Norse afterlife (OK – it’s probably been seen by plenty of Norse!) and ALASTAIR which is nicely done and with a neat surface.
Thanks Eimi and Quirister
Not only a fine tribute to a living legend but a fine blog from Quirister with footnotes from Simon (resident Dylanologist.)
Here’s to His Bobness!
The editor will no doubt have a strong word with the compiler about the fairness of the _A_E_ light in the grid at 8a, particularly given the fairly tricky word-play
As above… an iconic songwriter reaching 80 has mixed reactions… if he soundtracks ur life then mostly a sense of gratitude.. and like L. Cohen and others, life without him would be less easily mirrored in song.. I liked the puzzle…
Thanks Bob, Eimi, n Quirister
It may not have been necessary to have an in-depth knowledge of Dylan’s work to solve the puzzle but I don’t doubt that it would have made far more sense of some of the clues!
I’m in the camp of those who think he should have stuck to writing songs for other people to sing – that way, it might even have been possible to hear the lyrics.
Not to worry, his fans are entitled to celebrate his birthday so thanks to Eimi for doing the honours and to Quirister for making sense of it.
I’m not sure how the rebellious heroes of my youth (we had Captain Beefheart the other day) would react to becoming crossword puzzle themes. For INFIDELS I took Obviously 5 to be a clue for the final S. Thanks to Eimi, Quirister and Simon S.
Having heard on the radio about that birthday we realised this must be a tribute puzzle and were rather daunted as we don’t know much about Dylan apart from a couple of songs. So very unusually we started with 21dn which was non-thematic and obvious. Then we got one or two more non-thematic answers and almost before we knew it we were well on the way to completing the puzzle – and we did complete it.
8ac held us up for a while as we couldn’t get away from ‘dis’ for the underworld.
Favourite was MORCEAU, although we also liked PEPYS and CHEYENNE.
Thanks, Eimi and Quirister
For a fan this was a joy. Good lord, how many crosswords could we fill with Dylan – and how much can we learn from this genius wordsmith? Any attempt to capture Dylan in a single puzzle is overly ambitious – we can only allude and hint.
Thank you Eimi, thank you Bob, and special thanks to Quirister for an exceptional blog
Great stuff – Bob is God, not Clapton, I say!
Happy birthday to him (born in the same year as my late father who, when I once mentioned how much Bob had done in his lifetime replied with the chemico-nuclear engineer riposte “ah, but has he ever provided power to millions of homes?” to which I should’ve, but didn’t – and I accept this is an extreme incidence of staircase wit wot with it happening several years after the event – said: “no, but he has provided power to millions of souls!”).
Thanks to The Stud for the puzzle and the Quireboy for zee blog. 🙂
Hoskins @13: thanks, but why do you assume I’m a QuireBOY?
Because all my friends are me boys (and also there wasn’t an old rock band called the Quiregirls/women/men/etc. wot I listened to in my yoof). 🙂
Fine crossword which, unfortunately, I couldn’t complete because of 8ac.
Actually, I had the same feeling about it as baerchen @7.
Also, the parsing of of 26ac passed me by – well, the Disney part, that is.
As did the ‘Obviously 5’ part of 15ac (but I can now see why eimi did it).
Unlike Hoskins I do not think that ‘Bob is God’ – I do not believe in God anyway.
[but I remember Hoskins’ Desolation Row contribution to this site!]
Yes, He has written quite some memorable songs – Dylan, not Hoskins – but, I think, it was his voice that often put me off.
That said, ‘we all’ (which includes me) had a copy of Desire in the early 70s.
Could have been though because of Emmylou Harris.
It was the early days of country-rock [Eagles, Poco, Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons], all extremely popular in NL then.
Back to the crossword, of the non-thematic ones I found 10ac and 20ac two of the best.
And so, may thanks to eimi and Quirister.
Thanks to Quirister for the excellent detailed blog and to many for their comments, especially Simon S who clearly knows his stuff. I wasn’t planning to set a puzzle, as I have an embarrassment of riches to choose from in the Indy team, but when I became aware of the forthcoming event, remembering how ten years ago on this site I was taken to task for not marking his 70th, I thought I’d better show willing and hastily assembled this.
Bob Dylan seems to be a bit of a marmite figure. As a person he seems a grumpy old git, as in the Vienna gig mentioned above, but I’m sure that listening to his songs as a teenager inspired me to start playing with words – it’s all we’re doing really.
For what it’s worth, I just saw that today’s birthdays also included Normal People‘s Daisy Edgar Jones and Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Some variety!
Thanks eimi and othes for comments
Bob’s not really a grumpy old git – he has a very dry sense of humour (as did Leonard Cohen).
Cf his repeated onstage announcements in the 2000s about his drummer:
“He puts snakes on his car in case it rains – they’re his windscreen vipers”
Oh, and ‘1956-1966’ should have been ‘1965-66’
Simon@19 – yup, Dylan is hilarious in both lyrics, stage banter and interview (Don’t Look Back, Pennebaker’s excellent doc, is a good starting point to see him playing with words and journos for anyone who hasn;t seen it). Double yup on the Cohen front too, for examples: “I was born like this, I have no choice, I was born with the gift of a gooolden voice!”
Sil@16 – what do you mean I haven’t written any memorable songs?! Surely you are forgetting all the many memorable (once heard never excised from the lughole) ditties by yer boy Caterwaulin’ Harry Hoskins such as the undoubted classic: https://soundcloud.com/user-544647053/pineapple-shirts-and-yellow
Wow, you’re really multi-talented!
Haha, Sil, that’s exactly what my probation officer said after learning I escaped prison on the same day I failed my GCSE in metalwork … for anyone who prefers the real thing rather than my atonal offerings, Dylan’s 30th anniversary concert is currently on the Sky Arts (channel 11 on Freeview play).
Dylan did take time to record a lecture on receiving his Nobel prize however https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TlcPRlau2Q . Quite revealing but spoiler alert if you haven’t read Moby Dick, All quite on the Western Front and the Odyssey and are thinking of giving them a go sometime
I was in seventh heaven with this puzzle celebrating His Bobness. I loved all the references to his life, career and songs in the clues. I also really relished some other musical references – to Graham Nash of The Byrds, to Al Kooper etc.
[Side bar: I don’t think Dylan himself would have liked the MILITARY BANDS reference at 3d, given “Masters of War.” BTW, I love the Patti Smith clip from the Nobel Prize ceremony where she forgets the words under the intense pressure of the auspicious occasion – and the irony she highlights of the line “And I’ll know my song well before I start singing”.]
I have to say that I particularly loved 2d CHEYANNE for the reference to Robert Zimmerman’s state of birth.
Huge thanks to Eimi for a wonderful puzzle. Your blog was also much appreciated, Quirister. ]
[And I love your work, Simon S@4 and ff. Eric Burdon recently turned 80 too! Agree with copmus@ re Bob Dylan as “a chronicler of his age”, who has influenced my life in so many ways. I am with you, Eimi@17: “I’m sure that listening to his songs as a teenager inspired me to start playing with words – it’s all we’re doing really.”]
Thanks, Julie @24. I’m glad it struck a chord with you down under.
Simon S @4, the Animals reference was inspired by their version of Bob Dylan’s version of House of the Rising Sun (as you suggested), which he himself stole from Dave van Ronk, who was the basis of the title character of the wonderful Coen brothers film Inside Llewyn Davis. The Animals’ keyboard player Alan Price also features in the film Don’t Look Back as a hanger-on/fanboy.
Incidentally, a Dylan-inspired Hoskins crossword appeared in the i yesterday with a nina of Bob Dylan turning electric, in which paper also the concise crossword pun was Hurricane and the long answer in the five-clue was Most of the time. I think it’s fair to say his birthday didn’t pass unnoticed.
Nice work, boss – IIRC, I was pleased about the ‘turning electric’ gag in that puzzle so good to see it getting another outing. 🙂