Edge lower bounds for list critical graphs, via discharging (Q1715067)

A $k$-coloring of a graph $G$ is an assignment to each vertex a color among $k$ different colors such that adjacent vertices get distinct colors. A graph $G$ is $k$-colorable if it has a $k$-coloring and its chromatic number is the least integer $t$ such that $G$ is $t$-colorable. A graph $G$ is $k$-critical if $G$ is not $(k-1)$-colorable and every proper subgraph of $G$ is $(k-1)$-colorable. For a graph $G$ with chromatic number $k$, every minimal subgraph with the same chromatic number $k$ must be $k$-critical. One natural question is that how few edges can an $n$-vertex $k$-critical graph $G$ have? In the present paper, the authors improve the best known lower bound on the number of edges in a $k$-list-critical graph. Their proof uses the discharging method, thereby making it simpler and more modular than previous work in this area.