L.A.Times Crossword Corner

Mar 4, 2023

Saturday, March 4, 2023, Rafael Musa and Michael Lieberman

Themeless Saturday by Rafael Musa and Michael Lieberman

I had Rafael's initial LA Times submission last month where he told us he got into constructing because he read that someone had solved a NYT puzzle in under 10 minutes. He set that as a goal and when he reached it, he started submitting.

Mike Lieberman is a litigation partner in Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. His practice focuses on Supreme Court and appellate litigation.

This is one of those puzzles where I seemed to be on the same wavelength as the two constructors. I did have an issue at REDDITAM_S and RECENCY BI_S but both lent themselves to minimal sussing (explained below) and I took a well-deserved "got 'er done" out of petty cash.

Across:

1. Ice __: BATH - Some trainers believe this really accelerates healing and soreness

5. Ebullience: PEP - Not JOY

8. Helps with checking out, maybe: BAGS - Paper BAGS are making a comeback

12. Calculus calculation: AREA - For us math peeps: calculus can be used to determine the AREA under a curve as the sum of the AREA of rectangles added together gets infinitely close to the actual AREA as the rectangles get infinitely narrower.

13. Internal revolution: PALACE COUP - "Beware the Ides Of March!"

16. Approach: NEAR.

17. Fitness revolutions: ARM CIRCLES which might be done wearing 18. Joggers: GYM PANTS

20. Low-quality: CRUDDY.

21. "Mamma Mia!" song with the lyric "The love you gave me, nothing else can save me": SOS - Any day is better with ABBA in it

22. Mystery writer Josephine: TEY - I had no, uh, clue about mystery writer Josephine

23. Beams: RAYS.

24. Filled in: UP TO SPEED.

27. Infinitive with a circumflex: ETRE - Comment peut-on déjà ÊTRE en mars? (How can it be March already?)

31. __ pear: ASIAN - The Kimmel Orchards in Nebraska City have many of these trees but you have to get there on the right day as they get picked quickly

32. Penguin hunters: ORCAS.

34. Utter nonsense: ROT.

35. Rush: SURGE.

36. Underground rock?: ORE that can turn into 10. Like some expensive bars: GOLD.

Gold ORE

37. Uses a collection box, say: MAILS - While the use of paper bags is going up, the use of these is going down

39. "Pressure" singer Lennox: ARI - Her picture and the lyrics

40. Nurse: SIP ON.

42. Be relevant: APPLY - "The fundamental things APPLY, As Time Goes By."

"You played it for her,
You can play it for me."

43. Dependents that can't be claimed as tax deductions: PETS - We can't even deduct Lily's houses and perches, but that's okay with us.

45. Little League game ender, perhaps: MERCY RULE - This game was over in 3 1/2 innings

47. Locks: HAIR.

49. Still: YET.

50. Big time: ERA - My mom loved The Big Band ERA

52. Garment traditionally worn with a kebaya: SARONG - The kebayas are the tops worn with these SARONGS. Yeah, I knew that and didn't use all the perps! 😏

55. Court luminaries: NBA STARS.

57. Not set: UP IN THE AIR.

59. Plot line: AXIS.

60. Some online tell-all sessions: REDDIT AMAS - We've seen the website REDDIT that features AMAS (Ask Me AnythingS) in our puzzles

61. Actress Russo: RENE - I really liked some of her movies but she, Morgan Freeman and Tommy Lee Jones were a big draw to this "worst movie I ever spent money on" (4% on Rotten Tomatoes).

62. Red and Coral, but not pink: SEAS.

63. Low-__: RES 7. __-Man: PAC - On my Apple IIe

64. Reindeer kin: ELKS.

Down:

1. Loud reports: BANGS.

2. "Final answer?": ARE YOU SURE?

3. Pride of Lions, e.g.: TEAM SPIRIT.

4. Guinness logo: HARP.

5. One who makes everyone get down on the dance floor?: PARTY POOPER 😀

6. Many Central Park trees: ELMS.

8. Juicy fruit: BERRY.

9. Impeach: ACCUSE.

11. Sought redress: SUED.

13. Glazier supply: PANES - Here they're using suction to move a big PANE

14. Summer bug: CICADA - Their song is a sign of late summer around here

15. Humanities subj.: PSY.

19. Does penance (for): ATONES.

23. Tendency to rely on short-term memory: RECENCY BIAS - Some juries can be more swayed by the last closing argument they hear

25. Label: TAG and 55. Moniker: NAME.

26. Catcher's interference, for one: ERROR.

28. Skating feat first performed in competition by Vern Taylor: TRIPLE AXEL - From 44 years ago. It wasn't perfect but it was the first one.

29. Derby place: ROLLER RINK - A different skating activity

30. Site of creation?: ETSY - A popular website for puzzle fill

31. "Need this rn": ASAP.

33. Brains: SMARTS - Poor Fredo

38. "The Problem With __": "The Simpsons" documentary: APU - about Indian stereotypes

41. "We'll see": I MIGHT.

44. Writer/producer Rhimes: SHONDA - Some of her work

46. What dates may end with: YEARS - When I was in the hospital recently, I was asked my date of birth very often and had to rattle it off (9/11/46) over and over

48. Naysayers: ANTIS.

51. Donkeys: ASSES.

52. Big follower in California?: SUR - The Pacific Coast Highway runs through here