Themeless Saturday by Rafael Musa and Michael Lieberman
[TAG0]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.
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
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.
| [TAG9] |
| 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."
| [TAG11] |
| "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).
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.
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
53. Primatology focus: APES.
54. Lift: RIDE.
56. Discount when buying some foods?: TARE - A great explanation
58. Eustachian tube locale: EAR.
