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The $n$-queens completion problem
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- An $n$-queens configuration is a placement of $n$ mutually non-attacking queens on an $n\times n$ chessboard. The $n$-queens completion problem, introduced by Nauck in 1850, is to decide whether a given partial configuration can be completed to an $n$-queens configuration. In this paper, we study an extremal aspect of this question, namely: how small must a partial configuration be so that a completion is always possible? We show that any placement of at most $n/60$ mutually non-attacking queens can be completed. We also provide partial configurations of roughly $n/4$ queens that cannot be completed, and formulate a number of interesting problems. Our proofs connect the queens problem to rainbow matchings in bipartite graphs and use probabilistic arguments together with linear programming duality.<br />Comment: to appear in Research in the Mathematical Sciences
Details
- Database :
- arXiv
- Publication Type :
- Report
- Accession number :
- edsarx.2111.11402
- Document Type :
- Working Paper