32 Search Results for "Otto, Martin"


Document
Homomorphism Indistinguishability, Multiplicity Automata Equivalence, and Polynomial Identity Testing

Authors: Marek Černý and Tim Seppelt

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 364, 43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026)


Abstract
Two graphs G and H are homomorphism indistinguishable over a graph class ℱ if they admit the same number of homomorphisms from every graph F ∈ ℱ. Many graph isomorphism relaxations such as (quantum) isomorphism and cospectrality can be characterised as homomorphism indistinguishability over specific graph classes. Thereby, the problems HomInd(ℱ) of deciding homomorphism indistinguishability over ℱ subsume diverse graph isomorphism relaxations whose complexities range from logspace to undecidable. Establishing the first general result on the complexity of HomInd(ℱ), Seppelt (MFCS 2024) showed that HomInd(ℱ) is in randomised polynomial time for every graph class ℱ of bounded treewidth that can be defined in counting monadic second-order logic CMSO₂. We show that this algorithm is conditionally optimal, i.e. it cannot be derandomised unless polynomial identity testing is in P. For CMSO₂-definable graph classes ℱ of bounded pathwidth, we improve the previous complexity upper bound for HomInd(ℱ) from P to C_ = L and show that this is tight. Secondarily, we establish a connection between homomorphism indistinguishability and multiplicity automata equivalence which allows us to pinpoint the complexity of the latter problem as C_ = L-complete.

Cite as

Marek Černý and Tim Seppelt. Homomorphism Indistinguishability, Multiplicity Automata Equivalence, and Polynomial Identity Testing. In 43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 364, pp. 25:1-25:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{cerny_et_al:LIPIcs.STACS.2026.25,
  author =	{\v{C}ern\'{y}, Marek and Seppelt, Tim},
  title =	{{Homomorphism Indistinguishability, Multiplicity Automata Equivalence, and Polynomial Identity Testing}},
  booktitle =	{43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026)},
  pages =	{25:1--25:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-412-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{364},
  editor =	{Mahajan, Meena and Manea, Florin and McIver, Annabelle and Thắng, Nguy\~{ê}n Kim},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.25},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-255144},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.25},
  annote =	{Keywords: treewidth, Courcelle’s theorem, logspace, multiplicity automata, polynomial identity testing}
}
Document
Random Models and Guarded Logic

Authors: Oskar Fiuk

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 364, 43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026)


Abstract
Building on ideas of Gurevich and Shelah for the Gödel Class, we present a new probabilistic proof of the finite model property for the Guarded Fragment of First-Order Logic. Our proof is conceptually simple and yields the optimal doubly-exponential upper bound on the size of minimal models. We precisely analyse the obtained bound, up to constant factors in the exponents, and construct sentences that enforce models of tightly matching size. The probabilistic approach adapts naturally to the Triguarded Fragment, an extension of the Guarded Fragment that also subsumes the Two-Variable Fragment. Finally, we derandomise the probabilistic proof by providing an explicit model construction which replaces randomness with deterministic hash functions.

Cite as

Oskar Fiuk. Random Models and Guarded Logic. In 43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 364, pp. 37:1-37:21, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{fiuk:LIPIcs.STACS.2026.37,
  author =	{Fiuk, Oskar},
  title =	{{Random Models and Guarded Logic}},
  booktitle =	{43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026)},
  pages =	{37:1--37:21},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-412-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{364},
  editor =	{Mahajan, Meena and Manea, Florin and McIver, Annabelle and Thắng, Nguy\~{ê}n Kim},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.37},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-255269},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.37},
  annote =	{Keywords: guarded fragment, finite model property, probabilistic method}
}
Document
Dynamic Pattern Matching with Wildcards

Authors: Arshia Ataee Naeini, Amir-Parsa Mobed, Masoud Seddighin, and Saeed Seddighin

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 364, 43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026)


Abstract
We study the fully dynamic pattern matching problem where the pattern may contain up to k wildcard symbols, each matching any symbol of the alphabet. Both the text and the pattern are subject to updates (insert, delete, change). We design an algorithm with 𝒪(n log² n) preprocessing and update/query time 𝒪̃(kn^{k/{k+1}} + k² log n). The bound is truly sublinear for a constant k, and sublinear when k = o(log n). We further complement our results with a conditional lower bound: assuming subquadratic preprocessing time, achieving truly sublinear update time for the case k = Ω(log n) would contradict the Strong Exponential Time Hypothesis (SETH). Finally, we develop sublinear algorithms for two special cases: - If the pattern contains w non-wildcard symbols, we give an algorithm with preprocessing time 𝒪(nw) and update time 𝒪(w + log n), which is truly sublinear whenever w is truly sublinear. - Using FFT technique combined with block decomposition, we design a deterministic truly sublinear algorithm with preprocessing time 𝒪(n^{1.8}) and update time 𝒪(n^{0.8} log n) for the case that there are at most two non-wildcards.

Cite as

Arshia Ataee Naeini, Amir-Parsa Mobed, Masoud Seddighin, and Saeed Seddighin. Dynamic Pattern Matching with Wildcards. In 43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 364, pp. 68:1-68:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{naeini_et_al:LIPIcs.STACS.2026.68,
  author =	{Naeini, Arshia Ataee and Mobed, Amir-Parsa and Seddighin, Masoud and Seddighin, Saeed},
  title =	{{Dynamic Pattern Matching with Wildcards}},
  booktitle =	{43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026)},
  pages =	{68:1--68:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-412-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{364},
  editor =	{Mahajan, Meena and Manea, Florin and McIver, Annabelle and Thắng, Nguy\~{ê}n Kim},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.68},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-255579},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.68},
  annote =	{Keywords: pattern matching, wildcards, dynamic algorithms, string algorithms, data structures}
}
Document
A Game for Counting Logic Formula Size and an Application to Linear Orders

Authors: Grégoire Fournier and György Turán

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 363, 34th EACSL Annual Conference on Computer Science Logic (CSL 2026)


Abstract
Ehrenfeucht-Fraïssé (EF) games are a basic tool in finite model theory for proving definability lower bounds, with many applications in complexity theory and related areas. They have been applied to study various logics, giving insights on quantifier rank and other logical complexity measures. In this paper, we present an EF game to capture formula size in counting logic with a bounded number of variables. The game combines games introduced previously for counting logic quantifier rank due to Immerman and Lander, and for first-order formula size due to Adler and Immerman, and Hella and Väänänen. The game is used to prove an extension of a formula size lower bound of Grohe and Schweikardt for distinguishing linear orders, from 3-variable first-order logic to 3-variable counting logic.

Cite as

Grégoire Fournier and György Turán. A Game for Counting Logic Formula Size and an Application to Linear Orders. In 34th EACSL Annual Conference on Computer Science Logic (CSL 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 363, pp. 36:1-36:22, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{fournier_et_al:LIPIcs.CSL.2026.36,
  author =	{Fournier, Gr\'{e}goire and Tur\'{a}n, Gy\"{o}rgy},
  title =	{{A Game for Counting Logic Formula Size and an Application to Linear Orders}},
  booktitle =	{34th EACSL Annual Conference on Computer Science Logic (CSL 2026)},
  pages =	{36:1--36:22},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-411-6},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{363},
  editor =	{Guerrini, Stefano and K\"{o}nig, Barbara},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.CSL.2026.36},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-254612},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.CSL.2026.36},
  annote =	{Keywords: Finite Model Theory, Logical Aspects of Computational Complexity}
}
Document
Bridging Weighted First Order Model Counting and Graph Polynomials

Authors: Qipeng Kuang, Ondřej Kuželka, Yuanhong Wang, and Yuyi Wang

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 363, 34th EACSL Annual Conference on Computer Science Logic (CSL 2026)


Abstract
The Weighted First-Order Model Counting Problem (WFOMC) asks to compute the weighted sum of models of a given first-order logic sentence over a given domain. It can be solved in time polynomial in the domain size for sentences from the two-variable fragment with counting quantifiers, known as C^2. This polynomial-time complexity is known to be retained when extending C^2 by one of the following axioms: linear order axiom, tree axiom, forest axiom, directed acyclic graph axiom or connectedness axiom. An interesting question remains as to which other axioms can be added to the first-order sentences in this way. We provide a new perspective on this problem by associating WFOMC with graph polynomials. Using WFOMC, we define Weak Connectedness Polynomial and Strong Connectedness Polynomials for first-order logic sentences. It turns out that these polynomials have the following interesting properties. First, they can be computed in polynomial time in the domain size for sentences from C^2. Second, we can use them to solve WFOMC with all of the existing axioms known to be tractable as well as with new ones such as bipartiteness, strong connectedness, having k connected components, etc. Third, the well-known Tutte polynomial can be recovered as a special case of the Weak Connectedness Polynomial, and the Strict and Non-Strict Directed Chromatic Polynomials can be recovered from the Strong Connectedness Polynomials.

Cite as

Qipeng Kuang, Ondřej Kuželka, Yuanhong Wang, and Yuyi Wang. Bridging Weighted First Order Model Counting and Graph Polynomials. In 34th EACSL Annual Conference on Computer Science Logic (CSL 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 363, pp. 7:1-7:23, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{kuang_et_al:LIPIcs.CSL.2026.7,
  author =	{Kuang, Qipeng and Ku\v{z}elka, Ond\v{r}ej and Wang, Yuanhong and Wang, Yuyi},
  title =	{{Bridging Weighted First Order Model Counting and Graph Polynomials}},
  booktitle =	{34th EACSL Annual Conference on Computer Science Logic (CSL 2026)},
  pages =	{7:1--7:23},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-411-6},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{363},
  editor =	{Guerrini, Stefano and K\"{o}nig, Barbara},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.CSL.2026.7},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-254316},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.CSL.2026.7},
  annote =	{Keywords: Weighted First-Order Model Counting, Axiom, Enumerative Combinatorics, Tutte Polynomial}
}
Document
Symmetric Algebraic Circuits and Homomorphism Polynomials

Authors: Anuj Dawar, Benedikt Pago, and Tim Seppelt

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 362, 17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026)


Abstract
The central open question of algebraic complexity is whether VP ≠ VNP, which is saying that the permanent cannot be represented by families of polynomial-size algebraic circuits. For symmetric algebraic circuits, this has been confirmed by Dawar and Wilsenach (2020), who showed exponential lower bounds on the size of symmetric circuits for the permanent. In this work, we set out to develop a more general symmetric algebraic complexity theory. Our main result is that a family of symmetric polynomials admits small symmetric circuits if and only if they can be written as a linear combination of homomorphism counting polynomials of graphs of bounded treewidth. We also establish a relationship between the symmetric complexity of subgraph counting polynomials and the vertex cover number of the pattern graph. As a concrete example, we examine the symmetric complexity of immanant families (a generalisation of the determinant and permanent) and show that a known conditional dichotomy due to Curticapean (2021) holds unconditionally in the symmetric setting.

Cite as

Anuj Dawar, Benedikt Pago, and Tim Seppelt. Symmetric Algebraic Circuits and Homomorphism Polynomials. In 17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 362, pp. 46:1-46:15, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{dawar_et_al:LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.46,
  author =	{Dawar, Anuj and Pago, Benedikt and Seppelt, Tim},
  title =	{{Symmetric Algebraic Circuits and Homomorphism Polynomials}},
  booktitle =	{17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026)},
  pages =	{46:1--46:15},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-410-9},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{362},
  editor =	{Saraf, Shubhangi},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.46},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-253330},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.46},
  annote =	{Keywords: algebraic complexity, finite model theory, symmetric circuits, homomorphism counting, graph homomorphism, treewidth, counting width, first-order logic with counting quantifiers}
}
Document
Symmetric Quantum Computation

Authors: Davi Castro-Silva, Tom Gur, and Sergii Strelchuk

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 362, 17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026)


Abstract
We introduce a systematic study of symmetric quantum circuits, a new restricted model of quantum computation that preserves the symmetries of the problems it solves. This model is well-adapted for studying the role of symmetry in quantum speedups, extending a central notion of symmetric computation studied in the classical setting. Our results establish that symmetric quantum circuits are fundamentally more powerful than their classical counterparts. First, we give efficient symmetric circuits for key quantum techniques such as amplitude amplification, phase estimation and linear combination of unitaries. In addition, we show how the task of symmetric state preparation can be performed efficiently in several natural cases. Finally, we demonstrate an exponential separation in the symmetric setting for the problem XOR-SAT, which requires exponential-size symmetric classical circuits but can be solved by polynomial-size symmetric quantum circuits.

Cite as

Davi Castro-Silva, Tom Gur, and Sergii Strelchuk. Symmetric Quantum Computation. In 17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 362, pp. 35:1-35:10, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)


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@InProceedings{castrosilva_et_al:LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.35,
  author =	{Castro-Silva, Davi and Gur, Tom and Strelchuk, Sergii},
  title =	{{Symmetric Quantum Computation}},
  booktitle =	{17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026)},
  pages =	{35:1--35:10},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-410-9},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{362},
  editor =	{Saraf, Shubhangi},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.35},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-253223},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.35},
  annote =	{Keywords: Quantum computing, complexity theory, symmetries}
}
Document
Invited Paper
Foundations of Graph Neural Networks (A Logician’s View) (Invited Paper)

Authors: Egor V. Kostylev

Published in: OASIcs, Volume 138, Joint Proceedings of the 20th and 21st Reasoning Web Summer Schools (RW 2024 & RW 2025)


Abstract
Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) are a family of neural architectures that are naturally suited to learning functions on graphs. They are now used in a wide range of applications. It has been observed that GNNs share many similarities with classical computer science (CS) formalisms, such as the Weisfeiler-Leman graph isomorphism test, bisimulation, and logic. Most notably, both GNNs and these formalisms deal with functions on graphs and graph-like structures. This observation opens up an opportunity to compare GNN architectures with these formalisms in terms of different kinds of expressibility, thus positioning these architectures within the well-established landscape of theoretical CS. This, in turn, helps us better understand the fundamental capabilities and limitations of various GNN architectures, enabling more informed choices about which architecture to use - if any at all. In these lecture notes, I give an introduction to the state-of-the-art foundations of GNNs - specifically, our current understanding of their expressibility in terms of the classical formalisms, considering several notions of expressive power.

Cite as

Egor V. Kostylev. Foundations of Graph Neural Networks (A Logician’s View) (Invited Paper). In Joint Proceedings of the 20th and 21st Reasoning Web Summer Schools (RW 2024 & RW 2025). Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs), Volume 138, pp. 3:1-3:19, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)


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@InProceedings{kostylev:OASIcs.RW.2024/2025.3,
  author =	{Kostylev, Egor V.},
  title =	{{Foundations of Graph Neural Networks (A Logician’s View)}},
  booktitle =	{Joint Proceedings of the 20th and 21st Reasoning Web Summer Schools (RW 2024 \& RW 2025)},
  pages =	{3:1--3:19},
  series =	{Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-405-5},
  ISSN =	{2190-6807},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{138},
  editor =	{Artale, Alessandro and Bienvenu, Meghyn and Garc{\'\i}a, Yazm{\'\i}n Ib\'{a}\~{n}ez and Murlak, Filip},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/OASIcs.RW.2024/2025.3},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-250486},
  doi =		{10.4230/OASIcs.RW.2024/2025.3},
  annote =	{Keywords: Graph Neural Networks, Expressivity, Logic}
}
Document
An Isabelle/HOL Formalization of Semi-Thue and Conditional Semi-Thue Systems

Authors: Dohan Kim

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 352, 16th International Conference on Interactive Theorem Proving (ITP 2025)


Abstract
We present a formalized framework for semi-Thue and conditional semi-Thue systems for studying monoids and their word problem using the Isabelle/HOL proof assistant. We provide a formalized decision procedure for the word problem of monoids if they are finitely presented by complete semi-Thue systems. In particular, we present a new formalized method for checking confluence using (conditional) critical pairs for certain conditional semi-Thue systems. We propose and formalize an inference system for generating conditional equational theories and Thue congruences using conditional semi-Thue systems. Then we provide a new formalized decision procedure for the word problem of monoids which have finite complete (reductive) conditional presentations.

Cite as

Dohan Kim. An Isabelle/HOL Formalization of Semi-Thue and Conditional Semi-Thue Systems. In 16th International Conference on Interactive Theorem Proving (ITP 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 352, pp. 10:1-10:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)


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@InProceedings{kim:LIPIcs.ITP.2025.10,
  author =	{Kim, Dohan},
  title =	{{An Isabelle/HOL Formalization of Semi-Thue and Conditional Semi-Thue Systems}},
  booktitle =	{16th International Conference on Interactive Theorem Proving (ITP 2025)},
  pages =	{10:1--10:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-396-6},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{352},
  editor =	{Forster, Yannick and Keller, Chantal},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.ITP.2025.10},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-246081},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ITP.2025.10},
  annote =	{Keywords: semi-Thue systems, conditional semi-Thue systems, conditional string rewriting, monoids, word problem}
}
Document
Symmetric Proofs in the Ideal Proof System

Authors: Anuj Dawar, Erich Grädel, Leon Kullmann, and Benedikt Pago

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 345, 50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025)


Abstract
We consider the Ideal Proof System (IPS) introduced by Grochow and Pitassi and pose the question of which tautologies admit symmetric proofs, and of what complexity. The symmetry requirement in proofs is inspired by recent work establishing lower bounds in other symmetric models of computation. We link the existence of symmetric IPS proofs to the expressive power of logics such as fixed-point logic with counting and Choiceless Polynomial Time, specifically regarding the graph isomorphism problem. We identify relationships and tradeoffs between the symmetry of proofs and other parameters of IPS proofs such as size, degree and linearity. We study these on a number of standard families of tautologies from proof complexity and finite model theory such as the pigeonhole principle, the subset sum problem and the Cai-Fürer-Immerman graphs, exhibiting non-trivial upper bounds on the size of symmetric IPS proofs.

Cite as

Anuj Dawar, Erich Grädel, Leon Kullmann, and Benedikt Pago. Symmetric Proofs in the Ideal Proof System. In 50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 345, pp. 40:1-40:18, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)


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@InProceedings{dawar_et_al:LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.40,
  author =	{Dawar, Anuj and Gr\"{a}del, Erich and Kullmann, Leon and Pago, Benedikt},
  title =	{{Symmetric Proofs in the Ideal Proof System}},
  booktitle =	{50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025)},
  pages =	{40:1--40:18},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-388-1},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{345},
  editor =	{Gawrychowski, Pawe{\l} and Mazowiecki, Filip and Skrzypczak, Micha{\l}},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.40},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-241477},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.40},
  annote =	{Keywords: proof complexity, algebraic complexity, descriptive complexity, symmetric circuits, graph isomorphism}
}
Document
Deciding Robust Instances of an Escape Problem for Dynamical Systems in Euclidean Space

Authors: Eike Neumann

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 345, 50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025)


Abstract
We study the problem of deciding whether a point escapes a closed subset of ℝ^d under the iteration of a continuous map f : ℝ^d → ℝ^d in the bit-model of real computation. We give a sound partial decision method for this problem which is complete in the sense that its halting set contains the halting set of all sound partial decision methods for the problem. Equivalently, our decision method terminates on all problem instances whose answer is robust under all sufficiently small perturbations of the function. We further show that the halting set of our algorithm is dense in the set of all problem instances. While our algorithm applies to general continuous functions, we demonstrate that it also yields complete decision methods for much more rigid function families: affine linear systems and quadratic complex polynomials. In the latter case, completeness is subject to the density of hyperbolicity conjecture in complex dynamics. This in particular yields an alternative proof of Hertling’s (2004) conditional answer to a question raised by Penrose (1989) regarding the computability of the Mandelbrot set.

Cite as

Eike Neumann. Deciding Robust Instances of an Escape Problem for Dynamical Systems in Euclidean Space. In 50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 345, pp. 79:1-79:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)


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@InProceedings{neumann:LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.79,
  author =	{Neumann, Eike},
  title =	{{Deciding Robust Instances of an Escape Problem for Dynamical Systems in Euclidean Space}},
  booktitle =	{50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025)},
  pages =	{79:1--79:20},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-388-1},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{345},
  editor =	{Gawrychowski, Pawe{\l} and Mazowiecki, Filip and Skrzypczak, Micha{\l}},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.79},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-241866},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.79},
  annote =	{Keywords: Dynamical Systems, Computability in Analysis, Non-Linear Functions}
}
Document
The Complexity of Reachability Problems in Strongly Connected Finite Automata

Authors: Stefan Kiefer and Andrew Ryzhikov

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 345, 50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025)


Abstract
Several reachability problems in finite automata, such as completeness of NFAs and synchronisation of total DFAs, correspond to fundamental properties of sets of nonnegative matrices. In particular, the two mentioned properties correspond to matrix mortality and ergodicity, which ask whether there exists a product of the input matrices that is equal to, respectively, the zero matrix and a matrix with a column of strictly positive entries only. The case where the input automaton is strongly connected (that is, the corresponding set of nonnegative matrices is irreducible) frequently appears in applications and often admits better properties than the general case. In this paper, we address the existence of such properties from the computational complexity point of view, and develop a versatile technique to show that several NL-complete problems remain NL-complete in the strongly connected case. In particular, we show that deciding if a binary total DFA is synchronising is NL-complete even if it is promised to be strongly connected, and that deciding completeness of a binary unambiguous NFA with very limited nondeterminism is NL-complete under the same promise.

Cite as

Stefan Kiefer and Andrew Ryzhikov. The Complexity of Reachability Problems in Strongly Connected Finite Automata. In 50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 345, pp. 62:1-62:19, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)


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@InProceedings{kiefer_et_al:LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.62,
  author =	{Kiefer, Stefan and Ryzhikov, Andrew},
  title =	{{The Complexity of Reachability Problems in Strongly Connected Finite Automata}},
  booktitle =	{50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025)},
  pages =	{62:1--62:19},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-388-1},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{345},
  editor =	{Gawrychowski, Pawe{\l} and Mazowiecki, Filip and Skrzypczak, Micha{\l}},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.62},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-241690},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.62},
  annote =	{Keywords: unambiguous automata, nonnegative matrices, irreducible matrix sets, strongly connected automata, matrix monoids, mortality, completeness, synchronisation, ergodicity}
}
Document
Supercritical Size-Width Tree-Like Resolution Trade-Offs for Graph Isomorphism

Authors: Christoph Berkholz, Moritz Lichter, and Harry Vinall-Smeeth

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 345, 50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025)


Abstract
We study the refutation complexity of graph isomorphism in the tree-like resolution calculus. Torán and Wörz [Jacobo Torán and Florian Wörz, 2023] showed that there is a resolution refutation of narrow width k for two graphs if and only if they can be distinguished in (k+1)-variable first-order logic (FO^{k+1}). While DAG-like narrow width k resolution refutations have size at most n^k, tree-like refutations may be much larger. We show that there are graphs of order n, whose isomorphism can be refuted in narrow width k but only in tree-like size 2^{Ω(n^{k/2})}. This is a supercritical trade-off where bounding one parameter (the narrow width) causes the other parameter (the size) to grow above its worst case. The size lower bound is super-exponential in the formula size and improves a related supercritical trade-off by Razborov [Alexander A. Razborov, 2016]. To prove our result, we develop a new variant of the k-pebble EF-game for FO^k to reason about tree-like refutation size in a similar way as the Prover-Delayer games in proof complexity. We analyze this game on the compressed CFI graphs introduced by Grohe, Lichter, Neuen, and Schweitzer [Martin Grohe et al., 2023]. Using a recent improved robust compressed CFI construction of de Rezende, Fleming, Janett, Nordström, and Pang [Susanna F. de Rezende et al., 2024], we obtain a similar bound for width k (instead of the stronger but less common narrow width) and make the result more robust.

Cite as

Christoph Berkholz, Moritz Lichter, and Harry Vinall-Smeeth. Supercritical Size-Width Tree-Like Resolution Trade-Offs for Graph Isomorphism. In 50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 345, pp. 18:1-18:19, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)


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@InProceedings{berkholz_et_al:LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.18,
  author =	{Berkholz, Christoph and Lichter, Moritz and Vinall-Smeeth, Harry},
  title =	{{Supercritical Size-Width Tree-Like Resolution Trade-Offs for Graph Isomorphism}},
  booktitle =	{50th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS 2025)},
  pages =	{18:1--18:19},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-388-1},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{345},
  editor =	{Gawrychowski, Pawe{\l} and Mazowiecki, Filip and Skrzypczak, Micha{\l}},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.18},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-241253},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.MFCS.2025.18},
  annote =	{Keywords: Proof complexity, Resolution, Width, Tree-like size, Supercritical trade-off, Lower bound, Finite model theory, CFI graphs}
}
Document
Knowledge Problems vs Unification and Matching: Dichotomy Results

Authors: Serdar Erbatur, Andrew M. Marshall, Paliath Narendran, and Christophe Ringeissen

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 337, 10th International Conference on Formal Structures for Computation and Deduction (FSCD 2025)


Abstract
The research area of cryptographic protocol analysis contains a number of innovative algorithms and procedures for checking various security properties of protocols. Most of these procedures focus on solving one of several "knowledge problems" that model intruder knowledge. Solving these problems can demonstrate the ability of the intruder to obtain some forbidden information of the protocol, such as secret keys. Two important examples of these problems are the deduction problem and the static equivalence problem. Deduction is concerned with the ability to derive a term from a set of terms (or knowledge) obtained from the observation of a protocol instance. Static equivalence, on the other hand, is concerned with distinguishing between two runs of a protocol based on two sets of knowledge. These two knowledge problems at first inspection appear to be very close to the older automated reasoning problems of matching and unification. However, this first impression is wrong, and there have been a few results that have shown theories where one problem, such as unification, is undecidable but another problem, such as deduction, is decidable. These existing dichotomy results were, however, incomplete, and not all cases had been examined, thus leaving the possibility of some connection between the problems for those unexamined cases. In this paper, we consider the missing dichotomy cases. For each of the remaining cases, we demonstrate a theory that separates the two problems. In addition, once the dichotomy results are completed, it leaves open the question of the existence of non-trivial classes of theories for which all four of the problems are decidable. One example for which this is true is the well-known class of subterm convergent term rewrite systems. In this paper, we develop another example, a class of restrictive permutative theories for which all problems are likewise decidable.

Cite as

Serdar Erbatur, Andrew M. Marshall, Paliath Narendran, and Christophe Ringeissen. Knowledge Problems vs Unification and Matching: Dichotomy Results. In 10th International Conference on Formal Structures for Computation and Deduction (FSCD 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 337, pp. 18:1-18:17, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)


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@InProceedings{erbatur_et_al:LIPIcs.FSCD.2025.18,
  author =	{Erbatur, Serdar and Marshall, Andrew M. and Narendran, Paliath and Ringeissen, Christophe},
  title =	{{Knowledge Problems vs Unification and Matching: Dichotomy Results}},
  booktitle =	{10th International Conference on Formal Structures for Computation and Deduction (FSCD 2025)},
  pages =	{18:1--18:17},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-374-4},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{337},
  editor =	{Fern\'{a}ndez, Maribel},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.FSCD.2025.18},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-236331},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.FSCD.2025.18},
  annote =	{Keywords: Knowledge Problems, Unification, Matching, Decidability}
}
Document
Track A: Algorithms, Complexity and Games
An Upper Bound on the Weisfeiler-Leman Dimension

Authors: Thomas Schneider and Pascal Schweitzer

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 334, 52nd International Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming (ICALP 2025)


Abstract
The Weisfeiler-Leman (WL) algorithms form a family of incomplete approaches to the graph isomorphism problem. They recently found various applications in algorithmic group theory and machine learning. In fact, the algorithms form a parameterized family: for each k ∈ ℕ there is a corresponding k-dimensional algorithm WLk. The algorithms become increasingly powerful with increasing dimension, but at the same time the running time increases. The WL-dimension of a graph G is the smallest k ∈ ℕ for which WLk correctly decides isomorphism between G and every other graph. In some sense, the WL-dimension measures how difficult it is to test isomorphism of one graph to others using a fairly general class of combinatorial algorithms. Nowadays, it is a standard measure in descriptive complexity theory for the structural complexity of a graph. We prove that the WL-dimension of a graph on n vertices is at most 3/20 ⋅ n + o(n) = 0.15 ⋅ n + o(n). Reducing the question to coherent configurations, the proof develops various techniques to analyze their structure. This includes sufficient conditions under which a fiber can be restored uniquely up to isomorphism if it is removed, a recursive proof exploiting a degree reduction and treewidth bounds, as well as an exhaustive analysis of interspaces involving small fibers. As a base case, we also analyze the dimension of coherent configurations with small fiber size and thereby graphs with small color class size.

Cite as

Thomas Schneider and Pascal Schweitzer. An Upper Bound on the Weisfeiler-Leman Dimension. In 52nd International Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming (ICALP 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 334, pp. 129:1-129:18, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)


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@InProceedings{schneider_et_al:LIPIcs.ICALP.2025.129,
  author =	{Schneider, Thomas and Schweitzer, Pascal},
  title =	{{An Upper Bound on the Weisfeiler-Leman Dimension}},
  booktitle =	{52nd International Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming (ICALP 2025)},
  pages =	{129:1--129:18},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-372-0},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{334},
  editor =	{Censor-Hillel, Keren and Grandoni, Fabrizio and Ouaknine, Jo\"{e}l and Puppis, Gabriele},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.ICALP.2025.129},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-235065},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ICALP.2025.129},
  annote =	{Keywords: Weisfeiler-Leman dimension, descriptive complexity, coherent configurations}
}
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