Related papers: Small Partial Latin Squares that Cannot be Embedde…
A transversal in an $n \times n$ latin square is a collection of $n$ entries not repeating any row, column, or symbol. Kwan showed that almost every $n \times n$ latin square has $\bigl((1 + o(1)) n / e^2\bigr)^n$ transversals as $n \to…
Based on a previous generalization by the author of Latin squares to Latin boards, this paper generalizes partial Latin squares and related objects like partial Latin squares, completable partial Latin squares and Latin square puzzles. The…
A defining set of a Latin square is a partially filled-in Latin square which completes to no other Latin square of the same order. We introduce the concept of a $k$-strong defining set, in which if less than $k$ entries are deleted, the…
We recall the Alon-Tarsi conjecture on the number of even latin squares. We introduce a map which switches the parity of a latin square under certain requirements. An example is included.
We use heuristic algorithms to find terraces for small groups. We show that Bailey's Conjecture (that all groups other than the non-cyclic elementary abelian 2-groups are terraced) holds up to order 511, except possibly at orders 256 and…
We report the results of a computer investigation of sets of mutually orthogonal latin squares (MOLS) of small order. For $n\le9$ we 1. Determine the number of orthogonal mates for each species of latin square of order $n$. 2. Calculate the…
We study the problem of finding a subgroup of a given order in a finite group, where the group is represented by its Cayley table. We analyze the complexity of the problem in the special case of abelian groups and present an optimal…
We consider the problem of constructing Latin cubes subject to the condition that some symbols may not appear in certain cells. We prove that there is a constant $\gamma > 0$ such that if $n=2t$ and $A$ is a $3$-dimensional $n\times n\times…
To get another from a given latin square, we have to change at least 4 entries. We show how to find these entries and how to change them.
Given a partition $h_1+h_2+\dots+h_k = n$, a latin square of order $n$ with pairwise disjoint subsquares of orders $h_1,\dots ,h_k$ is called a realization. When the values $h_i$ are of at most two sizes, the existence of a realization has…
For $\mu$ given latin squares of order $n$, they have {\sf $k$ intersection} when they have $k$ identical cells and $n^2-k$ cells with mutually different entries. For each $n\geq 1$ the set of integers $k$ such that there exist $\mu$ latin…
A classical question in combinatorics is the following: given a partial latin square P, when can we complete P to a latin square L? In this paper, we will investigate the class of \leq\epsilon-dense partial latin squares: partial latin…
A latin bitrade (T1, T2) is a pair of partial latin squares which are disjoint, occupy the same set of non-empty cells, and whose corresponding rows and columns contain the same set of entries. A genus may be associated to a latin bitrade…
Regarding neighbor balance, we consider natural generalizations of $D$-complete Latin squares and Vatican squares from the finite to the infinite. We show that if $G$ is an infinite abelian group with $|G|$-many square elements, then it is…
A critical set in an $n \times n$ array is a set $C$ of given entries, such that there exists a unique extension of $C$ to an $n\times n$ Latin square and no proper subset of $C$ has this property. The cardinality of the largest critical…
A Costas latin square of order n is a set of n disjoint Costas arrays of the same order. Costas latin squares are studied here from a construction as well as a classification point of view. A complete classification is carried out up to…
Given an integer partition $(h_1,h_2,\dots,h_k)$ of $n$, is it possible to find an order $n$ latin square with $k$ disjoint subsquares of orders $h_1,\dots,h_k$? This question was posed by L.Fuchs and is only partially solved. Existence has…
An $n$-ary quasigroup $f$ of order $q$ is an $n$-ary operation over a set of cardinality $q$ such that the Cayley table of the operation is an $n$-dimensional latin hypercube of order $q$. A transversal in a quasigroup $f$ (or in the…
A Latin square has six conjugate Latin squares obtained by uniformly permuting its (row, column, symbol) triples. We say that a Latin square has conjugate symmetry if at least two of its six conjugates are equal. We enumerate Latin squares…
Do you want to know what an anti-chiece Latin square is? Or what a non-consecutive toroidal modular Latin square is? We invented a ton of new types of Latin squares, some inspired by existing Sudoku variations. We can't wait to introduce…