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We show that every convex code realizable by compact sets in the plane admits a realization consisting of polygons, and analogously every open convex code in the plane can be realized by interiors of polygons. We give factorial-type bounds on the number of vertices needed to form such realizations. Consequently we show that there is an algorithm to decide whether a convex code admits a closed or open realization in the plane., 14 pages, 6 figures

For a finite point set $P \subset \mathbb{R}^d$, denote by $\text{diam}(P)$ the ratio of the largest to the smallest distances between pairs of points in $P$. Let $c_{d, \alpha}(n)$ be the largest integer $c$ such that any $n$-point set $P \subset \mathbb{R}^d$ in general position, satisfying $\text{diam}(P) < \alpha\sqrt[d]{n}$, contains an $c$-point convex independent subset. We determine the asymptotics of $c_{d, \alpha}(n)$ as $n \to \infty$ by showing the existence of positive constants $\beta = \beta(d, \alpha)$ and $\gamma = \gamma(d)$ such that $\beta n^{\frac{d-1}{d+1}} \le c_{d, \alpha}(n) \le \gamma n^{\frac{d-1}{d+1}}$ for $\alpha\geq 2$., Comment: 20 pages, 1 figure; fixed an error in Section 5

Let $W^{(n)}$ be the $n$-letter word obtained by repeating a fixed word $W$, and let $R_n$ be a random $n$-letter word over the same alphabet. We show several results about the length of the longest common subsequence (LCS) between $W^{(n)}$ and $R_n$; in particular, we show that its expectation is $\gamma_W n-O(\sqrt{n})$ for an efficiently-computable constant $\gamma_W$. This is done by relating the problem to a new interacting particle system, which we dub "frog dynamics". In this system, the particles (`frogs') hop over one another in the order given by their labels. Stripped of the labeling, the frog dynamics reduces to a variant of the PushTASEP. In the special case when all symbols of $W$ are distinct, we obtain an explicit formula for the constant $\gamma_W$ and a closed-form expression for the stationary distribution of the associated frog dynamics. In addition, we propose new conjectures about the asymptotic of the LCS of a pair of random words. These conjectures are informed by computer experiments using a new heuristic algorithm to compute the LCS. Through our computations, we found periodic words that are more random-like than a random word, as measured by the LCS., Comment: 43 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables

For each fixed $d\ge 1$, we obtain asymptotic estimates for the number of $d$-representable simplicial complexes on $n$ vertices as a function of $n$. The case $d=1$ corresponds to counting interval graphs, and we obtain new results in this well-studied case as well. Our results imply that the $d$-representable complexes comprise a vanishingly small fraction of $d$-collapsible complexes., 13 pages, 2 figures

In this paper, we show how one may (efficiently) construct two types of extremal combinatorial objects whose existence was previously conjectural. (*) Panchromatic Graphs: For fixed integer k, a k-panchromatic graph is, roughly speaking, a balanced bipartite graph with one partition class equipartitioned into k colour classes in which the common neighbourhoods of panchromatic k-sets of vertices are much larger than those of k-sets that repeat a colour. The question of their existence was raised by Karthik and Manurangsi [Combinatorica 2020]. (*) Threshold Graphs: For fixed integer k, a k-threshold graph is, roughly speaking, a balanced bipartite graph in which the common neighbourhoods of k-sets of vertices on one side are much larger than those of (k+1)-sets. The question of their existence was raised by Lin [JACM 2018]. As applications of our constructions, we show the following conditional time lower bounds on the parameterized set intersection problem where, given a collection of n sets over universe [n] and a parameter k, the goal is to find k sets with the largest intersection. (*) Assuming ETH, for any computable function F, no $n^{o(k)}$-time algorithm can approximate the parameterized set intersection problem up to factor F(k). This improves considerably on the previously best-known result under ETH due to Lin [JACM 2018], who ruled out any $n^{o(\sqrt{k})}$ time approximation algorithm for this problem. (*) Assuming SETH, for every $\varepsilon>0$ and any computable function F, no $n^{k-\varepsilon}$-time algorithm can approximate the parameterized set intersection problem up to factor F(k). No result of comparable strength was previously known under SETH, even for solving this problem exactly., in metadata shortened to meet arxiv requirements

A Kakeya set in $\mathbb{F}_q^n$ is a set containing a line in every direction. We show that every Kakeya set in $\mathbb{F}_q^n$ has density at least $1/2^{n-1}$, matching the construction by Dvir, Kopparty, Saraf and Sudan., Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure

The Tur\'an problem asks for the largest number of edges in an $n$-vertex graph not containing a fixed forbidden subgraph $F$. We construct a new family of graphs not containing $K_{s,t}$, for $t= C^s$, with $\Omega(n^{2-1/s})$ edges matching the upper bound of K\"ov\'ari, S\'os and Tur\'an., Comment: 18 pages, added an informal proof sketch, fixed an error in the proof of Lemma 22

We consider the expected length of the longest common subsequence between two random words of lengths $n$ and $(1-\varepsilon)kn$ over $k$-symbol alphabet. It is well-known that this quantity is asymptotic to $\gamma_{k,\varepsilon} n$ for some constant $\gamma_{k,\varepsilon}$. We show that $\gamma_{k,\varepsilon}$ is of the order $1-c\varepsilon^2$ uniformly in $k$ and $\varepsilon$. In addition, for large $k$, we give evidence that $\gamma_{k,\varepsilon}$ approaches $1-\tfrac{1}{4}\varepsilon^2$, and prove a matching lower bound., Comment: 38 pages

We show that, for every linear ordering of $[2]^n$, there is a large subcube on which the ordering is lexicographic. We use this to deduce that every long sequence contains a long monotone subsequence supported on an affine cube. More generally, we prove an analogous result for linear orderings of $[k]^n$. We show that, for every such ordering, there is a large subcube on which the ordering agrees with one of approximately $\frac{(k-1)!}{2(\ln 2)^k}$ orderings., 9 pages, 2 figures

We consider incidences among colored sets of lines in $\mathbb{R}^d$ and examine whether the existence of certain concurrences between lines of $k$ colors force the existence of at least one concurrence between lines of $k+1$ colors. This question is relevant for problems in 3D reconstruction in computer vision., 20 pages, 4 color figures

The theta graph $\Theta_{\ell,t}$ consists of two vertices joined by $t$ vertex-disjoint paths of length $\ell$ each. For fixed odd $\ell$ and large $t$, we show that the largest graph not containing $\Theta_{\ell,t}$ has at most $c_{\ell} t^{1-1/\ell}n^{1+1/\ell}$ edges and that this is tight apart from the value of $c_{\ell}$., Comment: Revised to reflect referee comments. To appear in Combinatorics, Probability and Computing

The theta graph $��_{\ell,t}$ consists of two vertices joined by $t$ vertex-disjoint paths of length $\ell$ each. For fixed odd $\ell$ and large $t$, we show that the largest graph not containing $��_{\ell,t}$ has at most $c_{\ell} t^{1-1/\ell}n^{1+1/\ell}$ edges and that this is tight apart from the value of $c_{\ell}$., Revised to reflect referee comments. To appear in Combinatorics, Probability and Computing

Given a finite point set $P\subset\mathbb{R}^d$, we call a multiset $A$ a one-sided weak $\varepsilon$-approximant for $P$ (with respect to convex sets), if $|P\cap C|/|P|-|A\cap C|/|A|\leq\varepsilon$ for every convex set $C$. We show that, in contrast with the usual (two-sided) weak $\varepsilon$-approximants, for every set $P\subset \mathbb{R}^d$ there exists a one-sided weak $\varepsilon$-approximant of size bounded by a function of $\varepsilon$ and $d$., 14 pages

Let $T(d,r) = (r-1)(d+1)+1$ be the parameter in Tverberg's theorem, and call a partition $\mathcal I$ of $\{1,2,\ldots,T(d,r)\}$ into $r$ parts a "Tverberg type". We say that $\mathcal I$ "occurs" in an ordered point sequence $P$ if $P$ contains a subsequence $P'$ of $T(d,r)$ points such that the partition of $P'$ that is order-isomorphic to $\mathcal I$ is a Tverberg partition. We say that $\mathcal I$ is "unavoidable" if it occurs in every sufficiently long point sequence. In this paper we study the problem of determining which Tverberg types are unavoidable. We conjecture a complete characterization of the unavoidable Tverberg types, and we prove some cases of our conjecture for $d\le 4$. Along the way, we study the avoidability of many other geometric predicates. Our techniques also yield a large family of $T(d,r)$-point sets for which the number of Tverberg partitions is exactly $(r-1)!^d$. This lends further support for Sierksma's conjecture on the number of Tverberg partitions., Comment: Revision following referee comments. 32 pages, 8 figures

In this paper, we exhibit a similarity between Euclidean Ramsey problems and Knaster-type problems. By borrowing ideas from Ramsey theory, we prove weak Knaster properties of non-equatorial triangles in spheres, and of simplices in Euclidean spaces.

In 1981 Beck and Fiala proved an upper bound for the discrepancy of a set system of degree d that is independent of the size of the ground set. In the intervening years the bound has been decreased from 2d-2 to 2d-4. We improve the bound to 2d-log* d., Comment: 18 pages

We show that every hypersurface in $\R^s\times \R^s$ contains a large grid, i.e., the set of the form $S\times T$, with $S,T\subset \R^s$. We use this to deduce that the known constructions of extremal $K_{2,2}$-free and $K_{3,3}$-free graphs cannot be generalized to a similar construction of $K_{s,s}$-free graphs for any $s\geq 4$. We also give new constructions of extremal $K_{s,t}$-free graphs for large $t$., Fixed a small mistake in the application of Proposition 1

We present a generalization of a version of the Kruskal-Katona theorem due to Lovasz. A shadow of a d-tuple (S_1,...,S_d) in binom{X}{r}^d consists of d-tuples (S_1',...,S_d') in binom{X}{r-1}^d obtained by removing one element from each of S_i. We show that if a family F in binom{X}{r}^d has size |F|=binom{x}{r}^d for a real number x>=r, then the shadow of F has size at least binom{x}{r-1}^d., 8 pages, 1 figure, typos fixed

Tverberg's theorem asserts that every (k-1)(d+1)+1 points in R^d can be partitioned into k parts, so that the convex hulls of the parts have a common intersection. Calder and Eckhoff asked whether there is a purely combinatorial deduction of Tverberg's theorem from the special case k=2. We dash the hopes of a purely combinatorial deduction, but show that the case k=2 does imply that every set of O(k^2 log^2 k) points admits a Tverberg partition into k parts., Comment: 11 pages

A subset U of a group G is called k-universal if U contains a translate of every k-element subset of G. We give several nearly optimal constructions of small k-universal sets, and use them to resolve an old question of Erdos and Newman on bases for sets of integers, and to obtain several extensions for other groups., Comment: 12 pages

Let $T(d,r) = (r-1)(d+1)+1$ be the parameter in Tverberg's theorem, and call a partition $\mathcal I$ of $\{1,2,\ldots,T(d,r)\}$ into $r$ parts a Tverberg type. We say that $\mathcal I$ occurs in an ordered point sequence $P$ if $P$ contains a subsequence $P'$ of $T(d,r)$ points such that the partition of $P'$ that is order-isomorphic to $\mathcal I$ is a Tverberg partition. We say that $\mathcal I$ is unavoidable if it occurs in every sufficiently long point sequence. In this paper we study the problem of determining which Tverberg types are unavoidable. We conjecture a complete characterization of the unavoidable Tverberg types, and we prove some cases of our conjecture for $d\le 4$. Along the way, we study the avoidability of many other geometric predicates. Our techniques also yield a large family of $T(d,r)$-point sets for which the number of Tverberg partitions is exactly $(r-1)!^d$. This lends further support for Sierksma's conjecture on the number of Tverberg partitions., Journal of Computational Geometry, Vol. 8 No. 1 (2017)

We show that, for each fixed k, an n-vertex graph not containing a cycle of length 2k has at most 80√ k log k · n 1+1/k + O(n) edges.

We show that, for each fixed k, an n-vertex graph not containing a cycle of length 2k has at most 80√ k log k · n 1+1/k + O(n) edges.