Related papers: Explicit Optimal Hardness via Gaussian stability r…

In this paper, we prove an almost-optimal hardness for Max $k$-CSP$_R$ based on Khot's Unique Games Conjecture (UGC). In Max $k$-CSP$_R$, we are given a set of predicates each of which depends on exactly $k$ variables. Each variable can…

Austrin showed that the approximation ratio $\beta\approx 0.94016567$ obtained by the MAX 2-SAT approximation algorithm of Lewin, Livnat and Zwick (LLZ) is optimal modulo the Unique Games Conjecture (UGC) and modulo a Simplicity Conjecture…

We consider the question of approximating Max 2-CSP where each variable appears in at most $d$ constraints (but with possibly arbitrarily large alphabet). There is a simple $(\frac{d+1}{2})$-approximation algorithm for the problem. We prove…

Raghavendra (STOC 2008) gave an elegant and surprising result: if Khot's Unique Games Conjecture (STOC 2002) is true, then for every constraint satisfaction problem (CSP), the best approximation ratio is attained by a certain simple…

We prove a vector-valued inequality for the Gaussian noise stability (i.e. we prove a vector-valued Borell inequality) for Euclidean functions taking values in the two-dimensional sphere, for all correlation parameters at most $1/10$ in…

The UNIQUE GAMES problem is a central problem in algorithms and complexity theory. Given an instance of UNIQUE GAMES, the STRONG UNIQUE GAMES problem asks to find the largest subset of vertices, such that the UNIQUE GAMES instance induced…

This thesis investigates the extent to which the optimal value of a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) can be approximated by some sentence of fixed point logic with counting (FPC). It is known that, assuming $\mathsf{P} \neq…

The Unique Games Conjecture (UGC) constitutes a highly dynamic subarea within computational complexity theory, intricately linked to the outstanding P versus NP problem. Despite multiple insightful results in the past few years, a proof for…

Gaussian noise stability results have recently played an important role in proving results in hardness of approximation in computer science and in the study of voting schemes in social choice. We prove a new Gaussian noise stability result…

The Gaussian noise stability of a function $f:\mathbb{R}^n \to \{-1, 1\}$ is the expected value of $f(\boldsymbol{x}) \cdot f(\boldsymbol{y})$ over $\rho$-correlated Gaussian random variables $\boldsymbol{x}$ and $\boldsymbol{y}$. Borell's…

Recently Raghavendra and Tan (SODA 2012) gave a 0.85-approximation algorithm for the Max Bisection problem. We improve their algorithm to a 0.8776-approximation. As Max Bisection is hard to approximate within $\alpha_{GW} + \epsilon \approx…

We design approximation algorithms for Unique Games when the constraint graph admits good low diameter graph decomposition. For the ${\sf Max2Lin}_k$ problem in $K_r$-minor free graphs, when there is an assignment satisfying $1-\varepsilon$…

In this paper, the author puts forward a variation of Feige's Hypothesis, which claims that it is hard on average refuting Unbalanced Max 3-XOR under biased assignments on a natural distribution. Under this hypothesis, the author…

In this paper, we continue the study of robust satisfiability of promise CSPs (PCSPs), initiated in (Brakensiek, Guruswami, Sandeep, STOC 2023 / Discrete Analysis 2025), and obtain the following results: For the PCSP 1-in-3-SAT vs NAE-SAT…

Constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) are ubiquitous in theoretical computer science. We study the problem of StrongCSPs, i.e. instances where a large induced sub-instance has a satisfying assignment. More formally, given a CSP instance…

In this paper, we disprove a conjecture of Goemans and Linial; namely, that every negative type metric embeds into $\ell_1$ with constant distortion. We show that for an arbitrarily small constant $\delta> 0$, for all large enough $n$,…

In the kernel clustering problem we are given a large $n\times n$ positive semi-definite matrix $A=(a_{ij})$ with $\sum_{i,j=1}^na_{ij}=0$ and a small $k\times k$ positive semi-definite matrix $B=(b_{ij})$. The goal is to find a partition…

The vertex cover problem is one of the most important and intensively studied combinatorial optimization problems. Khot and Regev (2003) proved that the problem is NP-hard to approximate within a factor $2 - \epsilon$, assuming the Unique…

We consider the problem of dividing a set of indivisible goods among agents with additive valuations. This problem has been studied under various objectives in both the computer science and the operations research literature. Our main…

Covering spaces of graphs have long been useful for studying expanders (as "graph lifts") and unique games (as the "label-extended graph"). In this paper we advocate for the thesis that there is a much deeper relationship between…