Related papers: Large deviations in random Latin squares

An intercalate in a Latin square is a $2\times2$ Latin subsquare. Let $N$ be the number of intercalates in a uniformly random $n\times n$ Latin square. We prove that asymptotically almost surely…

We prove several results about substructures in Latin squares. First, we explain how to adapt our recent work on high-girth Steiner triple systems to the setting of Latin squares, resolving a conjecture of Linial that there exist Latin…

Let $L$ be an order-$n$ Latin square. For $X, Y, Z \subseteq \{1, ... ,n\}$, let $L(X, Y. Z)$ be the number of triples $i\in X, j\in Y, k\in Z$ such that $L(i,j) = k$. We conjecture that asymptotically almost every Latin square satisfies…

A $k \times n$ partial Latin rectangle is \textit{$C$-sparse} if the number of nonempty entries in each row and column is at most $C$ and each symbol is used at most $C$ times. We prove that the probability a uniformly random $k \times n$…

We prove that, for all even $n\geq10$, there exists a latin square of order $n$ with at least one transversal, yet all transversals coincide on $ \big\lfloor n/6 \big\rfloor$ entries. These latin squares have at least $ 19 n^2/36 + O(n)$…

Let $L(n)$ be the number of Latin squares of order $n$, and let $L^{\textrm{even}}(n)$ and $L^{\textrm{odd}}(n)$ be the number of even and odd such squares, so that $L(n) = L^{\textrm{even}}(n) + L^{\textrm{odd}}(n)$. The Alon-Tarsi…

Suppose that $k$ is a function of $n$ and $n\to\infty$. We show that with probability $1-O(1/n)$, a uniformly random $k\times n$ Latin rectangle contains no proper Latin subsquare of order $4$ or more, proving a conjecture of Divoux, Kelly,…

We derive necessary and sufficient conditions for there to exist a latin square of order $n$ containing two subsquares of order $a$ and $b$ that intersect in a subsquare of order $c$. We also solve the case of two disjoint subsquares. We…

Let $T(n)$ denote the maximal number of transversals in an order-$n$ Latin square. Improving on the bounds obtained by McKay et al., Taranenko recently proved that $T(n) \leq \left((1+o(1))\frac{n}{e^2}\right)^{n}$, and conjectured that…

A Latin square of order $n$ is an $n\times n$ matrix in which each row and column contains each of $n$ symbols exactly once. For $\epsilon>0$, we show that with high probability a uniformly random Latin square of order $n$ has no proper…

A Latin square of order $n$ is an $n\times n$ array which contains $n$ distinct symbols exactly once in each row and column. We define the adjacent distance between two adjacent cells (containing integers) to be their difference modulo $n$,…

We (1) determine the number of Latin rectangles with 11 columns and each possible number of rows, including the Latin squares of order~11, (2) answer some questions of Alter by showing that the number of reduced Latin squares of order $n$…

In this note we show that for each Latin square $L$ of order $n\geq 2$, there exists a Latin square $L'\neq L$ of order $n$ such that $L$ and $L'$ differ in at most $8\sqrt{n}$ cells. Equivalently, each Latin square of order $n$ contains a…

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. For a Latin square $L$, $\scs{L}$ denotes…

In a Latin square, every row can be interpreted as a permutation, and therefore has a parity (even or odd). We prove that in a uniformly random $n\times n$ Latin square, the $n$ row parities are very well approximated by a sequence of $n$…

For every positive integer $n$ greater than $4$ there is a set of Latin squares of order $n$ such that every permutation of the numbers $1,\ldots,n$ appears exactly once as a row, a column, a reverse row or a reverse column of one of the…

We introduce a notion of parity for transversals, and use it to show that in Latin squares of order $2 \bmod 4$, the number of transversals is a multiple of 4. We also demonstrate a number of relationships (mostly congruences modulo 4)…

In this paper we study pattern avoidance in Latin Squares, which gives us a two dimensional analogue of the well studied notion of pattern avoidance in permutations. Our main results include enumerating and characterizing the Latin Squares…

A Latin square is reduced if its first row and column are in natural order. For Latin squares of a particular order $n$ there are four possible different parities. We confirm a conjecture of Stones and Wanless by showing asymptotic equality…

A Latin square of order $n$ is an $n \times n$ array filled with $n$ symbols such that each symbol appears only once in every row or column and a transversal is a collection of cells which do not share the same row, column or symbol. The…