Theme: Commercial Opportunity. The two-word theme entries have no surface connection, being mere vehicles to hold the letters of the concept theme entries. These letters are circled, and if you didn't get the circles, the theme might be tough to suss. There is a unifier though, so let's start with that.
23 A. Mantilla material : SPANISH LACE. A Mantilla is a lace or silk lady's scarf worn over the head and shoulders.
A SPACE STATION is an artificial satellite used as a base for off-planet activities.
49 A. It may be shaped on a wheel : POTTER'S CLAY. An iron-free earthy material, consisting mainly of hydrated aluminum silicates that is plastic when wet, but hard when fired, used to make pottery and decorate ceramics.
The PLAY STATION is a video game console developed by Sony.
55 A. Sacred lily of ancient Egypt : BLUE LOTUS. This is a water lily containing the psychoactive alkaloid apomorphine. It was important in ancient Egyptian religion and mythology.
1. Blowout victory : ROMP. A game where one team scores a lot, and the other not so much. I was hoping for one the other day; but, alas, 'twas not to be.
33. Program interruptions literally demonstrated by this puzzle's four sets of circles : STATION BREAKS. This is a pause between broadcast programs, when a transmitting station can identify itself and slip in a few commercials. As we will see, each theme entry holds a type of station, spelt with its first and last few letters. Thus the STATION is BROKEN within the entry.
17 A. World-class : FIRST RATE. Something world class or FIRST RATE is as good as it gets. And our first break gives us a FIRE station - a place where the FIRE fighters reside between calls, and keep their vehicles and equipment.
23 A. Mantilla material : SPANISH LACE. A Mantilla is a lace or silk lady's scarf worn over the head and shoulders.
The Mantilla Company
A SPACE STATION is an artificial satellite used as a base for off-planet activities.
49 A. It may be shaped on a wheel : POTTER'S CLAY. An iron-free earthy material, consisting mainly of hydrated aluminum silicates that is plastic when wet, but hard when fired, used to make pottery and decorate ceramics.
The PLAY STATION is a video game console developed by Sony.
55 A. Sacred lily of ancient Egypt : BLUE LOTUS. This is a water lily containing the psychoactive alkaloid apomorphine. It was important in ancient Egyptian religion and mythology.
A BUS STATION is a terminal building where long-distance buses arrive and depart.
Hi Gang - Jazzbumpa STATIONED here to guide you through today's puzzlement. We have four quite different types of STATION, split out for our edification and enjoyment. Let's see what else there is.
Across
1. Blowout victory : ROMP. A game where one team scores a lot, and the other not so much. I was hoping for one the other day; but, alas, 'twas not to be.
5. Airline mentioned in the first line of the Beatles' "Back in the U.S.S.R." : British Overseas Airways Corporation. Here's Paul.
9. Taj Mahal city : AGRA.
9. Taj Mahal city : AGRA.
13. Old Renault : LE CAR. The U. S. marketed version of the Renault 5, sold here from 1976-83.
14. Cold, in Cádiz : FRIO. Spanish.
15. Mark as important : FLAG. Not the first definition you'd think of, but valid.
19. Glass manufacturing dioxide : SILICA. This is what is commonly known as sand. Common window glass also contains oxides of sodium and Calcium, together comprising about 25% of the batch. Though both are ceramics, this material is quite different from POTTER'S CLAY. It is also different from Mrs. TESH. [Vide infra.]
21. Bk. read at Purim : ESTHer. A festival held to commemorate the defeat of Haman's plot to massacre the Jews.
22. Sports doc's scan : Magnetic Resonance Image.
25. Univ. dorm overseers : RAs. Resident Advisors.
26. "__ the fields we go ... " : O'ER. To Grandmother's house.
27. Codebreaking org. : National Security Agency.
28. Dream up : CONCOCT. Create, devise, fabricate.
30. One inch = one foot, e.g. : SCALE. As in maps or modeling.
32. Seals, as a deal : ICES. To secure the deal. I guess because ice was fluid, but is now solidified.
38. Not quite place : SHOW. In horse racing - win, place, and SHOW are betting protocols. the terms refer to the first, second, and third place finishers, respectively.
39. California's San __ Zoo : DIEGO.
40. Rubs elbows (with) : HOB-NOBS.
44. Kids' recess game : TAG.
45. Time of yr. for new growth : SPRing.
48. She raised Cain : EVE. Not very well, though, in the original dysfunctional family, since he grew up to be a fratricide.
52. Legal thing : RES. From Latin.
53. Thickening agent : AGAR. A gelatinous polysaccharide substance obtained from red algae.
54. African desert : SAHARA. Lots of SILICA there.
58. Allow to pass : LET IN.
59. Architect Saarinen : EERO. From Finland, known for his neofuturistic designs.
60. Composer who was a CBS reporter : TESH. John [b 1952] Former sportscaster, now a composer, performer, and radio and TV personality.
61. Bay and gray followers : AREAS. Referring first to the region around San Fransisco Bay, and then to something less certain.
62. Uno y dos : TRES. 1 + 2 = 3, En Español.
63. Concerning : AS TO. Regarding.
64. Spoon's escape partner : DISH. From the same nursery rhyme as the musical feline, the out-of-this-world acrobatic bovine and the cackling canine.
64. Spoon's escape partner : DISH. From the same nursery rhyme as the musical feline, the out-of-this-world acrobatic bovine and the cackling canine.
Down
1. Means to an end : RECIPE. Odd way to think of it, but a recipe is something designed to achieve a certain outcome, so OK.
2. Pertaining to the eye : OCULAR. From Latin.
3. Marseille morning : MATIN. Hence, a morning prayer service is called Matins, though not likely to be offered to EOS, these days. [Vide infra.]
4. Police unit : PRECINCT. A section of the city, as defined for police purposes.
5. Fave texting bud : BFF. Best Friend Forever.
6. Projecting window : ORIEL. Bay and bow windows are common types. Perhaps useful for viewing orioles.
7. Respiratory cavity : AIRSAC. Per this definition, an alveolus. Birds have several other AIR SACS in their bodies.
8. Bulk-purchase club : COSTCO. If you see something you like there, buy it now. Next week, it may be gone forever. BTW, their pumpkin pies are awesome.
9. Kilimanjaro's cont. : AFRica.
10. Genre that influenced Prince : GLAM ROCK. Pop music style from the U.K. in the 70's featuring outrageous costumes, make up, hair styles and glitter.
11. Hectic lifestyles : RAT RACES.
12. Biased targets of the Gray Panthers : AGEISTS. Age discriminators.
13. Rodeo need : LASSO. Loop on a rope.
18. In that case : THEN. Indicates what follows.
20. Extremely, musically : ASSAI. Accompanies and intensifies a tempo marking.
24. Angelic ring : HALO. It's like a sunburst behind the head.
29. "Later!" : CIAO. Informal exclamation at meeting or departure, coming via Italian schiavo [I am your slave] and relating back to the Latin word for slave, sclavus.
30. Like logs : SAWN. Having been cut with a saw.
31. Bitter __ : END. A nautical term, referring to the end of a rope to which an anchor is attached. If that is reached, then the water is too deep for anchorage.
33. Snow remover : SHOVELER. The person, not the tool.
34. Without a doubt : TO BE SURE. Of a certainty.
35. Tasting menu portion : BITE. A nibble.
36. Brings up : REARS. Refers to nurturing a child until full grown. Other senses of the word indicate cultivating plants, raising animals, rising to great heights, or - of a quadruped - raising up on its hind legs.
37. Sandwich filling for a lacto-ovo vegetarian : EGG SALAD. Unlike vegans, they will consume eggs and dairy.
38. Frozen dessert : SHERBET. A fruity frozen confection, and a sure bet to please.
41. Play-of-color gem : OPAL.
42. South American capital : BOGOTA.
46. Persona non grata : PARIAH. Any social outcast, originally, the lowest caste in southern India.
47. "__ Hope": '70s-'80s soap : RYAN'S. The Irish immigrant Ryan family owned a bar in New York city, and had several upwardly-mobile adult children. This is already more than I knew about it.
50. Have faith : TRUST.
51. French darling : CHERI. No matter how you spell it.
56. Dawn goddess : EOS. Perhaps one of the most ancient deities in human history.
Well, that's the end of this show. Hope it didn't BREAK you.
Cool regards!
JzB
