Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-10-27DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104269
Yuhang Bai , Kristóf Bérczi , Gergely Csáji , Tamás Schwarcz
In the Properly Colored Spanning Tree problem, we are given an edge-colored undirected graph and the goal is to find a properly colored spanning tree, i.e., a spanning tree in which any two adjacent edges have distinct colors. The problem is interesting not only from a graph coloring point of view, but is also closely related to the Degree Bounded Spanning Tree and -Traveling Salesman problems, two classical questions that have attracted considerable interest in combinatorial optimization and approximation theory. Previous work on properly colored spanning trees has mainly focused on determining the existence of such a tree and hence has not considered the question from an algorithmic perspective. We propose an optimization version called Maximum-size Properly Colored Forest problem, which aims to find a properly colored forest with as many edges as possible. We consider the problem in different graph classes and for different numbers of colors, and present polynomial-time approximation algorithms as well as inapproximability results for these settings. Our proof technique relies on the sum of matching matroids defined by the color classes, a connection that might be of independent combinatorial interest. We also consider the Maximum-size Properly Colored Tree problem asking for the maximum size of a properly colored tree not necessarily spanning all the vertices. We show that the optimum is significantly more difficult to approximate than in the forest case, and provide an approximation algorithm for complete multigraphs.
{"title":"Approximating maximum-size properly colored forests","authors":"Yuhang Bai , Kristóf Bérczi , Gergely Csáji , Tamás Schwarcz","doi":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104269","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104269","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the <em>Properly Colored Spanning Tree</em> problem, we are given an edge-colored undirected graph and the goal is to find a properly colored spanning tree, i.e., a spanning tree in which any two adjacent edges have distinct colors. The problem is interesting not only from a graph coloring point of view, but is also closely related to the <em>Degree Bounded Spanning Tree</em> and <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>,</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>-<em>Traveling Salesman</em> problems, two classical questions that have attracted considerable interest in combinatorial optimization and approximation theory. Previous work on properly colored spanning trees has mainly focused on determining the existence of such a tree and hence has not considered the question from an algorithmic perspective. We propose an optimization version called <em>Maximum-size Properly Colored Forest</em> problem, which aims to find a properly colored forest with as many edges as possible. We consider the problem in different graph classes and for different numbers of colors, and present polynomial-time approximation algorithms as well as inapproximability results for these settings. Our proof technique relies on the sum of matching matroids defined by the color classes, a connection that might be of independent combinatorial interest. We also consider the <em>Maximum-size Properly Colored Tree</em> problem asking for the maximum size of a properly colored tree not necessarily spanning all the vertices. We show that the optimum is significantly more difficult to approximate than in the forest case, and provide an approximation algorithm for complete multigraphs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50490,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Combinatorics","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104269"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145418555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-10-09DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104253
Renrong Mao, Jie Huang, Fan Yang
In 1988, Garvan made conjectures on inequalities satisfied by ranks and cranks modulo 5 and 7. We obtain improvements to two of these inequalities in this paper.
{"title":"A proof of some conjectures of Garvan on partitions rank and crank inequalities","authors":"Renrong Mao, Jie Huang, Fan Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104253","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104253","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In 1988, Garvan made conjectures on inequalities satisfied by ranks and cranks modulo 5 and 7. We obtain improvements to two of these inequalities in this paper.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50490,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Combinatorics","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104253"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145248003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-21DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104288
Andrey Kupavskii
In this paper, we address several Erdős–Ko–Rado type questions for families of partitions. Two partitions of are -intersecting if they share at least parts, and are partially-intersecting if some of their parts intersect in at least elements. The question of what is the largest family of pairwise -intersecting partitions was studied for several classes of partitions: Peter Erdős and Székely studied partitions of into parts of unrestricted size; Ku and Renshaw studied unrestricted partitions of ; Meagher and Moura, and then Godsil and Meagher studied partitions into parts of equal size. We improve and generalize the results proved by these authors.
Meagher and Moura, following the work of Erdős and Székely, introduced the notion of partially -intersecting partitions, and conjectured, what should be the largest partially -intersecting family of partitions into parts of equal size . The main result of this paper is the proof of their conjecture for all , provided is sufficiently large.
All our results are applications of the spread approximation technique, introduced by Zakharov and the author. In order to use it, we need to refine some of the theorems from the original paper. As a byproduct, this makes the present paper a self-contained presentation of the spread approximation technique for -intersecting problems.
{"title":"Erdős–Ko–Rado type results for partitions via spread approximations","authors":"Andrey Kupavskii","doi":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104288","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104288","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this paper, we address several Erdős–Ko–Rado type questions for families of partitions. Two partitions of <span><math><mrow><mo>[</mo><mi>n</mi><mo>]</mo></mrow></math></span> are <span><math><mi>t</mi></math></span><em>-intersecting</em> if they share at least <span><math><mi>t</mi></math></span> parts, and are <em>partially</em> <span><math><mi>t</mi></math></span><em>-intersecting</em> if some of their parts intersect in at least <span><math><mi>t</mi></math></span> elements. The question of what is the largest family of pairwise <span><math><mi>t</mi></math></span>-intersecting partitions was studied for several classes of partitions: Peter Erdős and Székely studied partitions of <span><math><mrow><mo>[</mo><mi>n</mi><mo>]</mo></mrow></math></span> into <span><math><mi>ℓ</mi></math></span> parts of unrestricted size; Ku and Renshaw studied unrestricted partitions of <span><math><mrow><mo>[</mo><mi>n</mi><mo>]</mo></mrow></math></span>; Meagher and Moura, and then Godsil and Meagher studied partitions into <span><math><mi>ℓ</mi></math></span> parts of equal size. We improve and generalize the results proved by these authors.</div><div>Meagher and Moura, following the work of Erdős and Székely, introduced the notion of partially <span><math><mi>t</mi></math></span>-intersecting partitions, and conjectured, what should be the largest partially <span><math><mi>t</mi></math></span>-intersecting family of partitions into <span><math><mi>ℓ</mi></math></span> parts of equal size <span><math><mi>k</mi></math></span>. The main result of this paper is the proof of their conjecture for all <span><math><mrow><mi>t</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>k</mi></mrow></math></span>, provided <span><math><mi>ℓ</mi></math></span> is sufficiently large.</div><div>All our results are applications of the spread approximation technique, introduced by Zakharov and the author. In order to use it, we need to refine some of the theorems from the original paper. As a byproduct, this makes the present paper a self-contained presentation of the spread approximation technique for <span><math><mi>t</mi></math></span>-intersecting problems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50490,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Combinatorics","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104288"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-21DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104286
P. Frankl
Let and . The complete -graph on vertices has edges, any two edges intersect in at least -vertices. Moreover, there is no -element set intersecting each edge in at least vertices. The main result shows that for any -graph with the above properties has at most edges and the complete -graph is the unique optimal family.
{"title":"Critically intersecting hypergraphs","authors":"P. Frankl","doi":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104286","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104286","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Let <span><math><mrow><mi>k</mi><mo>></mo><mi>t</mi><mo>≥</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mrow><mi>d</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>k</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>t</mi></mrow></math></span>. The complete <span><math><mi>k</mi></math></span>-graph on <span><math><mrow><mi>k</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>d</mi></mrow></math></span> vertices has <span><math><mfenced><mfrac><mrow><mi>k</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>d</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow></mfrac></mfenced></math></span> edges, any two edges intersect in at least <span><math><mi>t</mi></math></span>-vertices. Moreover, there is no <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>k</mi><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>-element set intersecting each edge in at least <span><math><mi>t</mi></math></span> vertices. The main result shows that for <span><math><mrow><mi>k</mi><mo>≥</mo><msup><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>4</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> any <span><math><mi>k</mi></math></span>-graph with the above properties has at most <span><math><mfenced><mfrac><mrow><mi>k</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>d</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow></mfrac></mfenced></math></span> edges and the complete <span><math><mi>k</mi></math></span>-graph is the unique optimal family.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50490,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Combinatorics","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104286"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-18DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104287
Guilherme Simon Torres , Vilmar Trevisan
For a graph having Laplacian spectrum , Brouwer’s Conjecture states that . We prove that for each graph , there is a number , called Brouwer Critical Index - BCI, so that if , then satisfies Brouwer’s Conjecture. We also explore this graph invariant as a spectral parameter, obtaining natural properties. As an application of the BCI, we show that a class of bipartite graphs satisfies Brouwer’s Conjecture. Additionally, we prove that the corona product of graphs preserves Brouwer’s Conjecture.
{"title":"The Critical Index of Brouwer’s conjecture","authors":"Guilherme Simon Torres , Vilmar Trevisan","doi":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104287","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104287","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For a graph <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> having Laplacian spectrum <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>1</mn></mrow></msub><mo>≥</mo><msub><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mo>≥</mo><mo>⋯</mo><mo>≥</mo><msub><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></math></span>, Brouwer’s Conjecture states that <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>k</mi></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>=</mo><msubsup><mrow><mo>∑</mo></mrow><mrow><mi>i</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow><mrow><mi>k</mi></mrow></msubsup><msub><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>i</mi></mrow></msub><mo>≤</mo><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mfenced><mfrac><mrow><mi>k</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></mfrac></mfenced><mo>,</mo><mspace></mspace><mtext>for any</mtext><mspace></mspace><mn>1</mn><mo>≤</mo><mi>k</mi><mo>≤</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></math></span>. We prove that for each graph <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span>, there is a number <span><math><mrow><mi>h</mi><mo>∈</mo><mrow><mo>{</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>,</mo><mo>…</mo><mo>,</mo><mi>n</mi><mo>}</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, called Brouwer Critical Index - BCI, so that if <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>h</mi></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>≤</mo><mi>m</mi><mo>+</mo><mfenced><mfrac><mrow><mi>h</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></mfrac></mfenced></mrow></math></span>, then <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> satisfies Brouwer’s Conjecture. We also explore this graph invariant as a spectral parameter, obtaining natural properties. As an application of the BCI, we show that a class of bipartite graphs satisfies Brouwer’s Conjecture. Additionally, we prove that the corona product of graphs preserves Brouwer’s Conjecture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50490,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Combinatorics","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104287"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-10DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104284
Yi Wang , Hai-Jian Cui , Sebastian M. Cioabă
In this paper, we study the Laplacian matching polynomial of a graph and the effect of adding edges to a graph on the roots (called Laplacian matching roots) of this polynomial. In particular, we investigate the conditions under which the Laplacian matching roots change by integer values. We prove that the Laplacian matching root integral variation in one place is impossible and the Laplacian matching root integral variation in two places is also impossible under some constraints.
{"title":"On integral variations for roots of the Laplacian matching polynomial of graphs","authors":"Yi Wang , Hai-Jian Cui , Sebastian M. Cioabă","doi":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104284","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104284","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this paper, we study the Laplacian matching polynomial of a graph and the effect of adding edges to a graph on the roots (called Laplacian matching roots) of this polynomial. In particular, we investigate the conditions under which the Laplacian matching roots change by integer values. We prove that the Laplacian matching root integral variation in one place is impossible and the Laplacian matching root integral variation in two places is also impossible under some constraints.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50490,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Combinatorics","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104284"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145528892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-09DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104281
Deepak Bal , Patrick Bennett , Emily Heath , Shira Zerbib
Given a -uniform hypergraph and a set of -uniform hypergraphs , the generalized Ramsey number is the minimum number of colors needed to edge-color so that every copy of every hypergraph in receives at least different colors. In this note we obtain bounds, some asymptotically sharp, on several generalized Ramsey numbers, when or and is a set of cycles or paths, and when and contains a clique on vertices or a tight cycle.
{"title":"Generalized Ramsey numbers of cycles, paths, and hypergraphs","authors":"Deepak Bal , Patrick Bennett , Emily Heath , Shira Zerbib","doi":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104281","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104281","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given a <span><math><mi>k</mi></math></span>-uniform hypergraph <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> and a set of <span><math><mi>k</mi></math></span>-uniform hypergraphs <span><math><mi>H</mi></math></span>, the generalized Ramsey number <span><math><mrow><mi>f</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>H</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>q</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> is the minimum number of colors needed to edge-color <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> so that every copy of every hypergraph <span><math><mrow><mi>H</mi><mo>∈</mo><mi>H</mi></mrow></math></span> in <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> receives at least <span><math><mi>q</mi></math></span> different colors. In this note we obtain bounds, some asymptotically sharp, on several generalized Ramsey numbers, when <span><math><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>=</mo><msub><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> or <span><math><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>=</mo><msub><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mi>H</mi></math></span> is a set of cycles or paths, and when <span><math><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>=</mo><msubsup><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>k</mi></mrow></msubsup></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mi>H</mi></math></span> contains a clique on <span><math><mrow><mi>k</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span> vertices or a tight cycle.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50490,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Combinatorics","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104281"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145528893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-10-27DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104266
Pierre Simon
We establish new results on the possible growth rates for the sequence counting the number of orbits of a given oligomorphic group on unordered sets of size . Macpherson showed that for primitive actions, the growth is at least exponential (if the sequence is not constant equal to 1). The best lower bound previously known for the base of the exponential was obtained by Merola. We establishing the optimal value of 2 in the case where the structure is unstable. This allows us to improve on Merola’s bound and also obtain the optimal value for structures homogeneous in a finite relational language. Finally, we show that the study of sequences of sub-exponential growth reduces to the -stable case.
{"title":"On ω-categorical structures with few finite substructures","authors":"Pierre Simon","doi":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104266","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104266","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We establish new results on the possible growth rates for the sequence <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span> counting the number of orbits of a given oligomorphic group on unordered sets of size <span><math><mi>n</mi></math></span>. Macpherson showed that for primitive actions, the growth is at least exponential (if the sequence is not constant equal to 1). The best lower bound previously known for the base of the exponential was obtained by Merola. We establishing the optimal value of 2 in the case where the structure is unstable. This allows us to improve on Merola’s bound and also obtain the optimal value for structures homogeneous in a finite relational language. Finally, we show that the study of sequences <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span> of sub-exponential growth reduces to the <span><math><mi>ω</mi></math></span>-stable case.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50490,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Combinatorics","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104266"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145624163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-18DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104289
Tomasz Przybyłowski
We construct a simple acyclic directed graph for which the Bunkbed Conjecture is false, thereby resolving conjectures posed by Leander and by Hollom.
我们构造了一个简单的无环有向图,它的铺床猜想是假的,从而解决了Leander和Hollom的猜想。
{"title":"The acyclic directed bunkbed conjecture is false","authors":"Tomasz Przybyłowski","doi":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104289","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104289","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We construct a simple acyclic directed graph for which the Bunkbed Conjecture is false, thereby resolving conjectures posed by Leander and by Hollom.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50490,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Combinatorics","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104289"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145579011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-24DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104299
Imre Leader , Ta Sheng Tan
The ‘odd cover number’ of a complete graph is the smallest size of a family of complete bipartite graphs that covers each edge an odd number of times. For odd, Buchanan, Clifton, Culver, Nie, O’Neill, Rombach and Yin showed that the odd cover number of is equal to or , and they conjectured that it is always . We prove this conjecture.
For even, Babai and Frankl showed that the odd cover number of is always at least , and the above authors and Radhakrishnan, Sen and Vishwanathan gave some values of for which equality holds. We give some new examples.
Our constructions arise from some very symmetric constructions for the corresponding problem for complete hypergraphs. That is, the odd cover number of the complete 3-graph is the smallest number of complete 3-partite 3-graphs such that each 3-set is in an odd number of them. We show that the odd cover number of is exactly for even , and we show that for odd it is for infinitely many values of . We also show that for and , the odd cover number of is strictly less than the partition number, answering a question of Buchanan, Clifton, Culver, Nie, O’Neill, Rombach and Yin for those values of .
完全图的“奇覆盖数”是覆盖每条边奇数次的完全二部图族的最小尺寸。对于n个奇数,Buchanan, Clifton, Culver, Nie, O 'Neill, Rombach和Yin证明了Kn的奇数覆盖数等于(n+1)/2或(n+3)/2,并推测它总是(n+1)/2。我们证明了这个猜想。对于偶数n, Babai和Frankl证明了Kn的奇覆盖数总是至少为n/2,并且上述作者和Radhakrishnan, Sen和Vishwanathan给出了n的一些相等值。我们给出了一些新的例子。我们的构造是由完全超图对应问题的一些非常对称的构造而来的。即完全3-图Kn(3)的奇盖数是使每个3-集都在奇数个完全3-图中的最小数目。我们证明了对于偶数n, Kn(3)的奇覆盖数恰好是n/2,对于无限多个n值,我们证明了对于奇数n,它是(n−1)/2。我们还证明了对于r=3和r=4, Kn(r)的奇覆盖数严格小于分区数,回答了Buchanan, Clifton, Culver, Nie, O 'Neill, Rombach和Yin对于这些r值的问题。
{"title":"Odd covers of complete graphs and hypergraphs","authors":"Imre Leader , Ta Sheng Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104299","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ejc.2025.104299","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ‘odd cover number’ of a complete graph is the smallest size of a family of complete bipartite graphs that covers each edge an odd number of times. For <span><math><mi>n</mi></math></span> odd, Buchanan, Clifton, Culver, Nie, O’Neill, Rombach and Yin showed that the odd cover number of <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> is equal to <span><math><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>n</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span> or <span><math><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>n</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>3</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span>, and they conjectured that it is always <span><math><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>n</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span>. We prove this conjecture.</div><div>For <span><math><mi>n</mi></math></span> even, Babai and Frankl showed that the odd cover number of <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> is always at least <span><math><mrow><mi>n</mi><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span>, and the above authors and Radhakrishnan, Sen and Vishwanathan gave some values of <span><math><mi>n</mi></math></span> for which equality holds. We give some new examples.</div><div>Our constructions arise from some very symmetric constructions for the corresponding problem for complete hypergraphs. That is, the odd cover number of the complete 3-graph <span><math><msubsup><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>3</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></msubsup></math></span> is the smallest number of complete 3-partite 3-graphs such that each 3-set is in an odd number of them. We show that the odd cover number of <span><math><msubsup><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mn>3</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></msubsup></math></span> is exactly <span><math><mrow><mi>n</mi><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span> for even <span><math><mi>n</mi></math></span>, and we show that for odd <span><math><mi>n</mi></math></span> it is <span><math><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>n</mi><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span> for infinitely many values of <span><math><mi>n</mi></math></span>. We also show that for <span><math><mrow><mi>r</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mrow><mi>r</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>4</mn></mrow></math></span>, the odd cover number of <span><math><msubsup><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>r</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></msubsup></math></span> is strictly less than the partition number, answering a question of Buchanan, Clifton, Culver, Nie, O’Neill, Rombach and Yin for those values of <span><math><mi>r</mi></math></span>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50490,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Combinatorics","volume":"132 ","pages":"Article 104299"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145623504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}