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The semantic paradoxes are associated with self-reference or referential circularity. However, there are infinitary versions of the paradoxes, such as Yablo's paradox, that do not involve this form of circularity. It remains an open question what relations of reference between collections of sentences afford the structure necessary for paradoxicality -- these are the so-called "dangerous" directed graphs. Building on Rabern, et. al (2013) we reformulate this problem in terms of fixed points of certain functions, thereby boiling it down to get a purely mathematical problem.

We analyze a solitaire game in which a demon rearranges some cards after each move. The graph edge coloring theorems of K\H{o}nig (1931) and Vizing (1964) follow from the winning strategies developed.

The Borodin-Kostochka Conjecture states that for a graph $G$, if $\Delta(G) \geq 9$ and $\omega(G) \leq \Delta(G)-1$, then $\chi(G)\leq\Delta(G) -1$. We prove the Borodin-Kostochka Conjecture for $(P_5, \text{gem})$-free graphs, i.e., graphs with no induced $P_5$ and no induced $K_1\vee P_4$., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures

A simple graph $G$ is \emph{overfull} if $|E(G)|>\Delta\lfloor|V(G)|/2\rfloor$. By the pigeonhole principle, every overfull graph $G$ has $\chi'(G)>\Delta$. The \emph{core} of a graph, denoted $G_\Delta$, is the subgraph induced by its vertices of degree $\Delta$. Vizing's Adjacency Lemma implies that if $\chi'(G)>\Delta$, then $G_\Delta$ contains cycles. Hilton and Zhao conjectured that if $G_\Delta$ has maximum degree 2 and $\Delta\ge 4$, then $\chi'(G)>\Delta$ precisely when $G$ is overfull. We prove this conjecture for the case $\Delta=4$., Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures; this version incorporates reviewer feedback and corrects a few errors; to appear in SIAM J. Discrete Math

In 2011, the second author conjectured that every line graph $G$ satisfies $\chi(G)\le \max\{\omega(G),\frac{5\Delta(G)+8}{6}\}$. This conjecture is best possible, as shown by replacing each edge in a 5-cycle by $k$ parallel edges, and taking the line graph. In this paper we prove the conjecture. We also develop more general techniques and results that will likely be of independent interest, due to their use in attacking the Goldberg--Seymour conjecture., Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures

The 4 Color Theorem (4CT) implies that every $n$-vertex planar graph has an independent set of size at least $\frac{n}4$; this is best possible, as shown by the disjoint union of many copies of $K_4$. In 1968, Erd\H{o}s asked whether this bound on independence number could be proved more easily than the full 4CT. In 1976 Albertson showed (independently of the 4CT) that every $n$-vertex planar graph has an independent set of size at least $\frac{2n}9$. Until now, this remained the best bound independent of the 4CT. Our main result improves this bound to $\frac{3n}{13}$., Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures

We improve the best known bounds on average degree of $k$-list-critical graphs for $k \ge 6$. Specifically, for $k \ge 7$ we show that every non-complete $k$-list-critical graph has average degree at least $k-1 + \frac{(k-3)^2 (2 k-3)}{k^4-2 k^3-11 k^2+28 k-14}$ and every non-complete $6$-list-critical graph has average degree at least $5 + \frac{93}{766}$. The same bounds hold for online $k$-list-critical graphs.

This short note proves that every incomplete $k$-list-critical graph has average degree at least $k-1 + \frac{k-3}{k^2-2k+2}$. This improves the best known bound for $k = 4,5,6$. The same bound holds for online $k$-list-critical graphs.

A graph $G$ is $k$-critical if $G$ is not $(k-1)$-colorable, but every proper subgraph of $G$ is $(k-1)$-colorable. A graph $G$ is $k$-choosable if $G$ has an $L$-coloring from every list assignment $L$ with $|L(v)|=k$ for all $v$, and a graph $G$ is \emph{$k$-list-critical} if $G$ is not $(k-1)$-choosable, but every proper subgraph of $G$ is $(k-1)$-choosable. The problem of bounding (from below) the number of edges in a $k$-critical graph has been widely studied, starting with work of Gallai and culminating with the seminal results of Kostochka and Yancey, who essentially solved the problem. In this paper, we improve the best lower bound on the number of edges in a $k$-list-critical graph. Our proof uses the discharging method, which makes it simpler and more modular than previous work in this area., Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures

We take an application of the Kernel Lemma by Kostochka and Yancey to its logical conclusion. The consequence is a sort of magical way to draw conclusions about list coloring (and online list coloring) just from the existence of an independent set incident to many edges. We use this to prove an Ore-degree version of Brooks' Theorem for online list-coloring. The Ore-degree of an edge $xy$ in a graph $G$ is $\theta(xy) = d_G(x) + d_G(y)$. The Ore-degree of $G$ is $\theta(G) = \max_{xy\in E(G)}\theta(xy)$. We show that every graph with $\theta\ge18$ and $\omega\le\frac{\theta}{2}$ is online $\left\lfloor \frac{\theta}{2}\right\rfloor $-choosable. In addition, we prove an upper bound for online list-coloring triangle-free graphs: $\chi_{OL}\le\Delta+1-\lfloor\frac{1}{4}\lg(\Delta)\rfloor$. Finally, we characterize Gallai trees as the connected graphs $G$ with no independent set incident to at least $|G|$ edges., Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1406.7355

Let $G$ be a connected graph with maximum degree $\Delta$. Brooks' theorem states that $G$ has a $\Delta$-coloring unless $G$ is a complete graph or an odd cycle. A graph $G$ is \emph{degree-choosable} if $G$ can be properly colored from its lists whenever each vertex $v$ gets a list of $d(v)$ colors. In the context of list coloring, Brooks' theorem can be strengthened to the following. Every connected graph $G$ is degree-choosable unless each block of $G$ is a complete graph or an odd cycle; such a graph $G$ is a \emph{Gallai tree}. This degree-choosability result was further strengthened to Alon--Tarsi orientations; these are orientations of $G$ in which the number of spanning Eulerian subgraphs with an even number of edges differs from the number with an odd number of edges. A graph $G$ is \emph{degree-AT} if $G$ has an Alon--Tarsi orientation in which each vertex has indegree at least 1. Alon and Tarsi showed that if $G$ is degree-AT, then $G$ is also degree-choosable. Hladky, Kral, and Schauz showed that a connected graph is degree-AT if and only if it is not a Gallai tree. In this paper, we consider pairs $(G,x)$ where $G$ is a connected graph and $x$ is some specified vertex in $V(G)$. We characterize pairs such that $G$ has no Alon--Tarsi orientation in which each vertex has indegree at least 1 and $x$ has indegree at least 2. When $G$ is 2-connected, the characterization is simple to state., Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures

We prove that if $G$ is a quasi-line graph with $\Delta(G)>\omega(G)$ and $\Delta(G)\ge 69$, then $\chi_{OL}(G)\le \Delta(G)-1$. Together with our previous work, this implies that if $G$ is a claw-free graph with $\Delta(G)>\omega(G)$ and $\Delta(G)\ge 69$, then $\chi_{\ell}(G)\le \Delta(G)-1$., Comment: 24 pages, 5 figures

Many graph coloring proofs proceed by showing that a minimal counterexample to the theorem being proved cannot contain certain configurations, and then showing that each graph under consideration contains at least one such configuration; these configurations are called \emph{reducible} for that theorem. (A \emph{configuration} is a subgraph $H$, along with specified degrees $d_G(v)$ in the original graph $G$ for each vertex of $H$.) We give a general framework for showing that configurations are reducible for edge-coloring. A particular form of reducibility, called \emph{fixability}, can be considered without reference to a containing graph. This has two key benefits: (i) we can now formulate necessary conditions for fixability, and (ii) the problem of fixability is easy for a computer to solve. The necessary condition of \emph{superabundance} is sufficient for multistars and we conjecture that it is sufficient for trees as well, which would generalize the powerful technique of Tashkinov trees. Via computer, we can generate thousands of reducible configurations, but we have short proofs for only a small fraction of these. The computer can write \LaTeX\ code for its proofs, but they are only marginally enlightening and can run thousands of pages long. We give examples of how to use some of these reducible configurations to prove conjectures on edge-coloring for small maximum degree. Our aims in writing this paper are (i) to provide a common context for a variety of reducible configurations for edge-coloring and (ii) to spur development of methods for humans to understand what the computer already knows., Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures; 12-page appendix with 39 figures

We consider graphs $G$ with $\Delta=3$ such that $\chi'(G)=4$ and $\chi'(G-e)=3$ for every edge $e$, so-called \emph{critical} graphs. Jakobsen noted that the Petersen graph with a vertex deleted, $P^*$, is such a graph and has average degree only $\frac83$. He showed that every critical graph has average degree at least $\frac83$, and asked if $P^*$ is the only graph where equality holds. A result of Cariolaro and Cariolaro shows that this is true. We strengthen this average degree bound further. Our main result is that if $G$ is a subcubic critical graph other than $P^*$, then $G$ has average degree at least $\frac{46}{17}\approx2.706$. This bound is best possible, as shown by the Hajos join of two copies of $P^*$., Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures; version 2 incorporates referee feedback, which led to improved exposition and a slightly stronger bound

The chromatic number of the plane is the chromatic number of the uncountably infinite graph that has as its vertices the points of the plane and has an edge between two points if their distance is 1. This chromatic number is denoted $\chi(\mathcal{R}^2)$. The problem was introduced in 1950, and shortly thereafter it was proved that $4\le \chi(\mathcal{R}^2)\le 7$. These bounds are both easy to prove, but after more than 60 years they are still the best known. In this paper, we investigate $\chi_f(\mathcal{R}^2)$, the fractional chromatic number of the plane. The previous best bounds (rounded to five decimal places) were $3.5556 \le \chi_f(\mathcal{R}^2)\le 4.3599$. Here we improve the lower bound to $76/21\approx3.6190$., Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures

We show that every planar graph $G$ has a 2-fold 9-coloring. In particular, this implies that $G$ has fractional chromatic number at most $\frac92$. This is the first proof (independent of the 4 Color Theorem) that there exists a constant $k<5$ such that every planar $G$ has fractional chromatic number at most $k$., Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures; following the suggestion of an editor, we split the original version of this paper into two papers: one is the current version of this paper, and the other is "Planar graphs have Independence Ratio at least 3/13" (also available on the arXiv)

Arguably the simplest variation of this style of proof as we avoid reducing to the cubic case entirely., Comment: A referee for "Brooks' Theorem and Beyond" asked to make this proof available on the arXiv

We prove that every $k$-list-critical graph ($k \ge 7$) on $n \ge k+2$ vertices has at least $\frac12 \left(k-1 + \frac{k-3}{(k-c)(k-1) + k-3}\right)n$ edges where $c = (k-3)\left(\frac12 - \frac{1}{(k-1)(k-2)}\right)$. This improves the bound established by Kostochka and Stiebitz. The same bound holds for online $k$-list-critical graphs, improving the bound established by Riasat and Schauz. Both bounds follow from a more general result stating that either a graph has many edges or it has an Alon-Tarsi orientable induced subgraph satisfying a certain degree condition., Comment: This paper has been split in half. This is the first half, the second half is "Extracting list colorings from large independent sets"

We prove bounds on the chromatic number $\chi$ of a vertex-transitive graph in terms of its clique number $\omega$ and maximum degree $\Delta$. We conjecture that every vertex-transitive graph satisfies $\chi \le \max \left\{\omega, \left\lceil\frac{5\Delta + 3}{6}\right\rceil\right\}$ and we prove results supporting this conjecture. Finally, for vertex-transitive graphs with $\Delta \ge 13$ we prove the Borodin-Kostochka conjecture, i.e., $\chi\le\max\{\omega,\Delta-1\}$.

We collect some of our favorite proofs of Brooks' Theorem, highlighting advantages and extensions of each. The proofs illustrate some of the major techniques in graph coloring, such as greedy coloring, Kempe chains, hitting sets, and the Kernel Lemma. We also discuss standard strengthenings of vertex coloring, such as list coloring, online list coloring, and Alon--Tarsi orientations, since analogues of Brooks' Theorem hold in each context. We conclude with two conjectures along the lines of Brooks' Theorem that are much stronger, the Borodin--Kostochka Conjecture and Reed's Conjecture., Comment: Survey paper of Brooks' Theorem and its extensions. 25 pages, 12 figures

Cranston and Kim conjecture that if $G$ is a connected graph with maximum degree $\Delta$ and $G$ is not a Moore Graph, then $\chi_l(G^2) \le \Delta^2-1$; here $\chi_l$ is the list chromatic number. We prove their conjecture; in fact, this upper bound holds even for online list chromatic number., Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures. In version 2, we add a conjecture and 2 figures to the introduction. Results are unchanged

Brooks' Theorem states that if a graph has $\Delta\ge 3$ and $\omega \le \Delta$, then $\chi \le \Delta$. Borodin and Kostochka conjectured that if $\Delta\ge 9$ and $\omega\le \Delta-1$, then $\chi\le \Delta-1$. We show that if $\Delta\ge 13$ and $\omega \le \Delta-4$, then $\chi\le \Delta-1$. For a graph $G$, let $\mathcal{H}$ denote the subgraph of $G$ induced by vertices of degree $\Delta$. We also show that if $\omega\le \Delta-1$ and $\omega(\mathcal{H})\le \Delta-6$, then $\chi\le \Delta-1$., Comment: 27 pages, 3 figures; added many more details in this version, as well as a discussion of algorithms; to appear in SIAM J. Discrete Math

It is shown that any graph with maximum degree $\Delta$ in which the average degree of the induced subgraph on the set of all neighbors of any vertex exceeds $\frac{6k^2}{6k^2 + 1}\Delta + k + 6$ is either $(\Delta - k)$-colorable or contains a clique on more than $\Delta - 2k$ vertices. In the $k=1$ case we improve the bound on the average degree to $\frac23\Delta + 4$ and the bound on the clique number to $\Delta-1$. As corollaries, we show that every graph satisfies $\chi \leq \max\set{\omega, \Delta - 1, 4\alpha}$ and every graph satisfies $\chi \leq \max\set{\omega, \Delta - 1, \ceil{\frac{15 + \sqrt{48n + 73}}{4}}}$., Comment: Added consequences for independence number and order

We prove that every claw-free graph $G$ that doesn't contain a clique on $\Delta(G) \geq 9$ vertices can be $\Delta(G) - 1$ colored., Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures; moved list-coloring section earlier; added overview at end of Section 1 and start of Section 2

Lov\'asz gave a short proof of Brooks' theorem by coloring greedily in a good order. We give a different short proof by reducing to the cubic case. Then we show how to extend the result to (online) list coloring via the Kernel Lemma., Comment: added cute Kernel Lemma trick to lift up to (online) list coloring

We characterize the initial positions from which the first player has a winning strategy in a certain two-player game. This provides a generalization of Hall's theorem. Vizing's edge coloring theorem follows from a special case., Comment: expanded based on referee comments

Borodin and Kostochka conjectured that every graph $G$ with maximum degree $\Delta \ge 9$ satisfies $\chi \le \max\{\omega, \Delta-1\}$. We carry out an in-depth study of minimum counterexamples to the Borodin-Kostochka conjecture. Our main tool is the identification of graph joins that are $f$-choosable, where $f(v) = d(v) - 1$ for each vertex $v$. Since such a join cannot be an induced subgraph of a vertex critical graph with $\chi = \Delta$, we have a wealth of structural information about minimum counterexamples to the Borodin-Kostochka conjecture. Our main result proves that certain conjectures that are prima facie weaker than the Borodin-Kostochka conjecture are in fact equivalent to it. One such equivalent conjecture is the following: Any graph with $\chi \ge \Delta = 9$ contains $K_3 * \bar{K_6}$ as a subgraph., Comment: compact version only proving the list coloring results needed for the conjecture equivalences; 26 pages, 6 figures; final version accepted for publication

We prove that if $G$ is a vertex critical graph with $\chi(G) \geq \Delta(G) + 1 - p \geq 4$ for some $p \in \mathbb{N}$ and $\omega(\fancy{H}(G)) \leq \frac{\chi(G) + 1}{p + 1} - 2$, then $G = K_{\chi(G)}$ or $G = O_5$. Here $\fancy{H}(G)$ is the subgraph of $G$ induced on the vertices of degree at least $\chi(G)$. This simplifies and improves the results in the paper of Kostochka, Rabern and Stiebitz \cite{krs_one}., Comment: fixed some history

We prove a general lemma about partitioning the vertex set of a graph into subgraphs of bounded degree. This lemma extends a sequence of results of Lov\'asz, Catlin, Kostochka and Rabern.

We prove that if $G$ is a graph and $r_1, ..., r_k \in \mathbb{Z}_{\geq 0}$ such that $\sum_{i=1}^k r_i \geq \Delta(G) + 2 - k$ then $V(G)$ can be partitioned into sets $V_1, ..., V_k$ such that $\Delta(G[V_i]) \leq r_i$ and $G[V_i]$ contains no non-complete $r_i$-regular components for each $1 \leq i \leq k$. In particular, the vertex set of any graph $G$ can be partitioned into $\left \lceil \frac{\Delta(G) + 2}{3} \right \rceil$ sets, each of which induces a disjoint union of triangles and paths.

We prove that $\chi(G) \leq \max {\omega(G), \Delta_2(G), (5/6)(\Delta(G) + 1)}$ for every graph $G$ with $\Delta(G) \geq 3$. Here $\Delta_2$ is the parameter introduced by Stacho that gives the largest degree that a vertex $v$ can have subject to the condition that $v$ is adjacent to a vertex whose degree is at least as large as its own. This upper bound generalizes both Brooks' Theorem and the Ore-degree version of Brooks' Theorem.

We prove that $K_{\chi(G)}$ is the only critical graph $G$ with $\chi(G) \geq \Delta(G) \geq 6$ and $\omega(\mathcal{H}(G)) \leq \left \lfloor \frac{\Delta(G)}{2} \right \rfloor - 2$. Here $\mathcal{H}(G)$ is the subgraph of $G$ induced on the vertices of degree at least $\chi(G)$. Setting $\omega(\mathcal{H}(G)) = 1$ proves a conjecture of Kierstead and Kostochka.

We prove that every graph $G$ for which $\omega(G) \geq 3/4(\Delta(G) + 1)$, has an independent set $I$ such that $\omega(G - I) < \omega(G)$. It follows that a minimum counterexample $G$ to Reed's conjecture satisfies $\omega(G) < 3/4(\Delta(G) + 1)$ and hence also $\chi(G) > \lceil 7/6\omega(G) \rceil$. We also prove that if for every induced subgraph $H$ of $G$ we have $\chi(H) \leq \max{\lceil 7/6\omega(H) \rceil, \lceil \frac{\omega(H) + \Delta(H) + 1}{2}\rceil}$, then we also have $\chi(G) \leq \lceil \frac{\omega(G) + \Delta(G) + 1}{2}\rceil$. This gives a generic proof of the upper bound for line graphs of multigraphs proved by King et al., Comment: Added simple proof of Kostochka's lemma.

Every beginning real analysis student learns the classic Heine-Borel theorem, that the interval [0,1] is compact. In this article, we present a proof of this result that doesn't involve the standard techniques such as constructing a sequence and appealing to the completeness of the reals. We put a metric on the space of infinite binary sequences and prove that compactness of this space follows from a simple combinatorial lemma. The Heine-Borel theorem is an immediate corollary.

We prove that for any graph G at least one of G or $\bar{G}$ satisfies $\chi \leq {1/4}\omega + {3/4}\Delta + 1$. In particular, self-complementary graphs satisfy this bound.

We improve upper bounds on the chromatic number proven independently in \cite{reedNote} and \cite{ingo}. Our main lemma gives a sufficient condition for two paths in graph to be completely joined. Using this, we prove that if a graph has an optimal coloring with more than $\frac{\omega}{2}$ singleton color classes, then it satisfies $\chi \leq \frac{\omega + \Delta + 1}{2}$. It follows that a graph satisfying $n - \Delta < \alpha + \frac{\omega - 1}{2}$ must also satisfy $\chi \leq \frac{\omega + \Delta + 1}{2}$, improving the bounds in \cite{reedNote} and \cite{ingo}. We then give a simple argument showing that if a graph satisfies $\chi > \frac{n + 3 - \alpha}{2}$, then it also satisfies $\chi(G) \leq \left\lceil\frac{\omega(G) + \Delta(G) + 1}{2}\right\rceil$. From this it follows that a graph satisfying $n - \Delta < \alpha + \omega$ also satisfies $\chi(G) \leq \left\lceil\frac{\omega(G) + \Delta(G) + 1}{2}\right\rceil$ improving the bounds in \cite{reedNote} and \cite{ingo} even further at the cost of a ceiling. In the next sections, we generalize our main lemma to constrained colorings (e.g. r-bounded colorings). We present a generalization of Reed's conjecture to r-bounded colorings and prove the conjecture for graphs with maximal degree close to their order. Finally, we outline some applications (in \cite{BorodinKostochka} and \cite{ColoringWithDoublyCriticalEdge}) of the theory presented here to the Borodin-Kostochka conjecture and coloring graphs containing a doubly critical edge.

We outline some ongoing work related to a conjecture of Reed \cite{reed97} on $\omega$, $\Delta$, and $\chi$. We conjecture that the complement of a counterexample $G$ to Reed's conjecture has connectivity on the order of $\log(|G|)$. We prove that this holds for a family (parameterized by $\epsilon > 0$) of relaxed bounds; the $\epsilon = 0$ limit of which is Reed's upper bound.

In \cite{reed97}, Reed conjectures that the inequality $\chi (G) \leq \left \lceil \textstyle {1/2} (\omega (G) + \Delta (G) + 1) \right \rceil$ holds for any graph $G$. We prove this holds for a graph $G$ if $\bar{G}$ is disconnected. From this it follows that the conjecture holds for graphs with $\chi(G) > \left \lceil \frac{|G|}{2} \right \rceil$. In addition, the conjecture holds for graphs with $\Delta(G) \geq |G| - \sqrt{|G| + 2\alpha(G) + 1}$. In particular, Reed's conjecture holds for graphs with $\Delta(G) \geq |G| - \sqrt{|G| + 7}$. Using these results, we proceed to show that if $|G|$ is an even order counterexample to Reed's conjecture, then $\bar{G}$ has a 1-factor. Hence, for any even order graph $G$, if $\chi(G) > \textstyle {1/2}(\omega(G) + \Delta(G) + 1) + 1$, then $\bar{G}$ is matching covered.

A \emph{$k$--decomposition} of the complete graph $K_n$ is a decomposition of $K_n$ into $k$ spanning subgraphs $G_1,...,G_k$. For a graph parameter $p$, let $p(k;K_n)$ denote the maximum of $\displaystyle \sum_{j=1}^{k} p(G_j)$ over all $k$--decompositions of $K_n$. It is known that $\chi(k;K_n) = omega(k;K_n)$ for $k \leq 3$ and conjectured that this equality holds for all $k$. In an attempt to get a handle on this, we study convex combinations of $\omega$ and $\chi$; namely, the graph parameters $A_r(G) = (1-r) \omega(G) + r \chi(G)$ for $0 \leq r \leq 1$. It is proven that $A_r(k;K_n) \leq n + {k \choose 2}$ for small $r$. In addition, we prove some generalizations of a theorem of Kostochka, et al. \cite{kostochka}.