Uncolorable Brunnian Links are Linked

Abstract

Summary The topology of knots and links can be studied by examining colorings of their diagrams. We explain how to detect knots and links using the method of Fox tricoloring, and we give a new and elementary proof that an infinite family of Brunnian links are each linked. Our proof is based on the remarkable fact (which we prove) that if a link diagram cannot be tricolored then it must be linked. Our paper introduces readers to the Fox coloring generalization of tricoloring and the further algebraic generalization, called a quandle by David Joyce.