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DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.CPM.2026.3

Computing k-mers in Graphs

Authors: Jarno N. Alanko and Máximo Pérez-López

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 369, 37th Annual Symposium on Combinatorial Pattern Matching (CPM 2026)

Abstract

We initiate the study of computational problems on k-mers (strings of length k) in labeled graphs. As a starting point, we consider the problem of counting the number of distinct k-mers found on the walks of a graph. We establish that this is #P-hard, even on connected deterministic DAGs. However, in the class of deterministic Wheeler graphs (Gagie, Manzini, and Sirén, TCS 2017), we show that distinct k-mers of such a graph W = (V, E) can be counted using O(|W|k) or O(n⁴ log k) arithmetic operations, where n = |V|, m = |E| and |W| = n+m. The latter result uses a new generalization of the technique of prefix doubling to Wheeler graphs. To generalize our results beyond Wheeler graphs, we discuss ways to transform a graph into a Wheeler graph in a manner that preserves the k-mers. As an application of our k-mer counting algorithms, we construct a representation of the de Bruijn graph of the k-mers that occupies O(n_k + |W|k log(max_{1 ≤ 𝓁 ≤ k} n_𝓁) + σlog m) bits of space, where n_𝓁 is the number of distinct 𝓁-mers in the Wheeler graph, and σ is the size of the alphabet. We show how to construct it in the same time complexity. Given that the Wheeler graph can be exponentially smaller than the de Bruijn graph, for large k this provides a theoretical improvement over previous de Bruijn graph construction methods from graphs, which must spend Ω(k) time per k-mer in the graph.

Cite as

Jarno N. Alanko and Máximo Pérez-López. Computing k-mers in Graphs. In 37th Annual Symposium on Combinatorial Pattern Matching (CPM 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 369, pp. 3:1-3:17, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{alanko_et_al:LIPIcs.CPM.2026.3,
  author =	{Alanko, Jarno N. and P\'{e}rez-L\'{o}pez, M\'{a}ximo},
  title =	{{Computing k-mers in Graphs}},
  booktitle =	{37th Annual Symposium on Combinatorial Pattern Matching (CPM 2026)},
  pages =	{3:1--3:17},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-420-8},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{369},
  editor =	{Bille, Philip and Prezza, Nicola},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.CPM.2026.3},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-259294},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.CPM.2026.3},
  annote =	{Keywords: Wheeler graph, Wheeler language, de Bruijn graph, graph, k-mer, q-gram, DFA, #P-hard}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.SWAT.2026.32

Semirandom Planted Bipartite Subgraphs

Authors: Anand Louis and Kirtan Vora

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 370, 20th Scandinavian Symposium on Algorithm Theory (SWAT 2026)

Abstract

There have been many recent works studying planted subgraphs problems. The semirandom planted bipartite subgraph problem is defined as follows. Starting with a vertex set V, an arbitrary subset S ⊂ V of size k is chosen, then an arbitrary bipartite graph is added on S. After this between each pair of vertices in S × (V ⧵ S) an edge is added independently with probability p, then an arbitrary graph is added on V⧵ S. The analogous semirandom planted clique problem, where S forms a clique, has been studied starting with the work of Fiege and Kilian [Uriel Feige and Joe Kilian, 2001]; recent work by [Blasiok et al., 2024; Venkatesan Guruswami and Hsin-Po Wang, 2025] gave an algorithm for this problem when k = Ω(√{n log n}). We give an algorithm for semirandom planted bipartite subgraph problem when k = Ω(√{n log n}) and the two color classes are roughly balanced. Our algorithms are essentially the same as the elegant greedy algorithm of [Blasiok et al., 2024]. We generalize their idea to our setting. Handling the arbitrary nature of the bipartite graph requires some new technical ideas and is our main technical contribution.

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Anand Louis and Kirtan Vora. Semirandom Planted Bipartite Subgraphs. In 20th Scandinavian Symposium on Algorithm Theory (SWAT 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 370, pp. 32:1-32:13, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{louis_et_al:LIPIcs.SWAT.2026.32,
  author =	{Louis, Anand and Vora, Kirtan},
  title =	{{Semirandom Planted Bipartite Subgraphs}},
  booktitle =	{20th Scandinavian Symposium on Algorithm Theory (SWAT 2026)},
  pages =	{32:1--32:13},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-421-5},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2026},
  volume =	{370},
  editor =	{Fraigniaud, Pierre},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.SWAT.2026.32},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-260681},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.SWAT.2026.32},
  annote =	{Keywords: Semirandom Models, Spectral Algorithms, Planted Subgraphs, Random Graphs, Approximate Recovery Algorithms}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.5

On the Complexity of Language Membership for Probabilistic Words

Authors: Antoine Amarilli, Mikaël Monet, Paul Raphaël, and Sylvain Salvati

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

Abstract

We study the membership problem to context-free languages L (CFLs) on probabilistic words, that specify for each position a probability distribution on the letters (assuming independence across positions). Our task is to compute, given a probabilistic word, what is the probability that a word drawn according to the distribution belongs to L. This problem generalizes the problem of counting how many words of length n belong to L, or of counting how many completions of a partial word belong to L. We show that this problem is in polynomial time for unambiguous context-free languages (uCFLs), but can be #P-hard already for unions of two linear uCFLs. More generally, we show that the problem is in polynomial time for so-called poly-slicewise-unambiguous languages, where given a length n we can tractably compute an uCFL for the words of length n in the language. This class includes some inherently ambiguous languages, and implies the tractability of bounded CFLs and of languages recognized by unambiguous polynomial-time counter automata; but we show that the problem can be #P-hard for nondeterministic counter automata, even for Parikh automata with a single counter. We then introduce classes of circuits from knowledge compilation which we use for tractable counting, and show that this covers the tractability of poly-slicewise-unambiguous languages and of some CFLs that are not poly-slicewise-unambiguous. Extending these circuits with negation further allows us to show tractability for the language of primitive words, and for the language of concatenations of two palindromes. We finally show the conditional undecidability of the meta-problem that asks, given a CFG, whether the probabilistic membership problem for that CFG is tractable or #P-hard.

Cite as

Antoine Amarilli, Mikaël Monet, Paul Raphaël, and Sylvain Salvati. On the Complexity of Language Membership for Probabilistic Words. In 43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 364, pp. 5:1-5:21, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{amarilli_et_al:LIPIcs.STACS.2026.5,
  author =	{Amarilli, Antoine and Monet, Mika\"{e}l and Rapha\"{e}l, Paul and Salvati, Sylvain},
  title =	{{On the Complexity of Language Membership for Probabilistic Words}},
  booktitle =	{43rd International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science (STACS 2026)},
  pages =	{5:1--5:21},
  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.2026.5},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-254943},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.STACS.2026.5},
  annote =	{Keywords: Automaton, probabilistic words, context-free grammar, membership problem}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.30

New Bounds for Circular Trace Reconstruction

Authors: Arnav Burudgunte, Paul Valiant, and Hongao Wang

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

Abstract

The "trace reconstruction" problem asks, given an unknown binary string x and a channel that repeatedly returns "traces" of x with each bit randomly deleted with some probability p, how many traces are needed to recover x? There is an exponential gap between the best known upper and lower bounds for this problem. Many variants of the model have been introduced in hopes of motivating or revealing new approaches to narrow this gap. We study the variant of circular trace reconstruction introduced by Narayanan and Ren (ITCS 2021), in which traces undergo a random cyclic shift in addition to random deletions. We show an improved lower bound of Ω̃(n⁵) for circular trace reconstruction. This contrasts with the (previously) best known lower bounds of Ω̃(n³) in the circular case and Ω̃(n^{3/2}) in the linear case. Our bound shows the indistinguishability of traces from two sparse strings x,y that each have a constant number of nonzeros. Can this technique be extended significantly? How hard is it to reconstruct a sparse string x under a cyclic deletion channel? We resolve these questions by showing, using Fourier techniques, that Õ(n⁶) traces suffice for reconstructing any constant-sparse string in a circular deletion channel, in contrast to the best known upper bound of exp(Õ(n^{1/3})) for general strings in the circular deletion channel. This shows that new algorithms or new lower bounds must focus on non-constant-sparse strings.

Cite as

Arnav Burudgunte, Paul Valiant, and Hongao Wang. New Bounds for Circular Trace Reconstruction. In 17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 362, pp. 30:1-30:23, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{burudgunte_et_al:LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.30,
  author =	{Burudgunte, Arnav and Valiant, Paul and Wang, Hongao},
  title =	{{New Bounds for Circular Trace Reconstruction}},
  booktitle =	{17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026)},
  pages =	{30:1--30:23},
  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.2026.30},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-253176},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.30},
  annote =	{Keywords: Trace reconstruction, algorithmic statistics, Fourier analysis}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.55

Universally Optimal Streaming Algorithm for Random Walks in Dense Graphs

Authors: Klim Efremenko, Gillat Kol, Raghuvansh R. Saxena, and Zhijun Zhang

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

Abstract

Sampling a random walk is a fundamental primitive in many graph applications. In the streaming model, it is known that sampling an L-step random walk on an n-vertex directed graph requires Ω(n L) space, implying that no sublinear-space streaming algorithm exists for general graphs. We show that sublinear algorithms are possible for the case of dense graphs, where every vertex has out-degree at least Ω(n). In particular, we give a one-pass turnstile streaming algorithm that uses only 𝒪̃(L) memory for such graphs. More broadly, for graphs with minimum out-degree at least d, our streaming algorithm samples a random walk using 𝒪̃(n/d ⋅ L) memory. We show that our algorithm is optimal in a strong "beyond worst-case" sense. To formalize this, we introduce the notion of universal optimality for graph streaming algorithms. Informally, a streaming algorithm is universally optimal if it performs (almost) as well as possible on every graph, assuming a worst-case choice of the streaming order. This notion of universal optimality is a key conceptual contribution of our work.

Cite as

Klim Efremenko, Gillat Kol, Raghuvansh R. Saxena, and Zhijun Zhang. Universally Optimal Streaming Algorithm for Random Walks in Dense Graphs. In 17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 362, pp. 55:1-55:20, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{efremenko_et_al:LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.55,
  author =	{Efremenko, Klim and Kol, Gillat and Saxena, Raghuvansh R. and Zhang, Zhijun},
  title =	{{Universally Optimal Streaming Algorithm for Random Walks in Dense Graphs}},
  booktitle =	{17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026)},
  pages =	{55:1--55:20},
  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.2026.55},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-253423},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.55},
  annote =	{Keywords: Random Walk, streaming Algorithm, universal Optimality}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.63

Perfect Simulation of Las Vegas Algorithms via Local Computation

Authors: Xinyu Fu, Yonggang Jiang, and Yitong Yin

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

Abstract

The notion of Las Vegas algorithms was introduced by Babai (1979) and can be defined in two ways: - In Babai’s original definition, a randomized algorithm is called Las Vegas if it has a finitely bounded running time and certifiable random failure. - Another definition widely accepted today is that Las Vegas algorithms refer to zero-error randomized algorithms with random running times. The equivalence between the two definitions is straightforward. Specifically, for randomized algorithms with certifiable failures, repeatedly running the algorithm until no failure is encountered allows for faithful simulation of the correct output when it executes successfully. We show that a similar perfect simulation can also be achieved in distributed local computation. Specifically, in the LOCAL model, with a polylogarithmic overhead in time complexity, any Las Vegas algorithm with finitely bounded running time and locally certifiable failures can be converted to a zero error Las Vegas algorithm. This transformed algorithm faithfully reproduces the correct output of the original algorithm in successful executions. This is achieved by a reduction to a distributed sampling problem under the Lovász Local Lemma (LLL), where the objective is to sample from the joint distribution of random variables avoiding all bad events. We then design the first efficient algorithm to solve this sampling problem in the LOCAL model.

Cite as

Xinyu Fu, Yonggang Jiang, and Yitong Yin. Perfect Simulation of Las Vegas Algorithms via Local Computation. In 17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 362, pp. 63:1-63:22, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{fu_et_al:LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.63,
  author =	{Fu, Xinyu and Jiang, Yonggang and Yin, Yitong},
  title =	{{Perfect Simulation of Las Vegas Algorithms via Local Computation}},
  booktitle =	{17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026)},
  pages =	{63:1--63:22},
  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.2026.63},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-253503},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.63},
  annote =	{Keywords: Las Vegas algorithms, perfect simulation, Lov\'{a}sz Local Lemma, sampling}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.18

Interactive Proofs for Distribution Testing with Conditional Oracles

Authors: Ari Biswas, Mark Bun, Clément L. Canonne, and Satchit Sivakumar

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

Abstract

We revisit the framework of interactive proofs for distribution testing, first introduced by Chiesa and Gur (ITCS 2018), which has recently experienced a surge in interest, accompanied by notable progress (e.g., Herman and Rothblum, STOC 2022, FOCS 2023; Herman, RANDOM 2024). In this model, a data-poor verifier determines whether a probability distribution has a property of interest by interacting with an all-powerful, data-rich but untrusted prover bent on convincing them that it has the property. While prior work gave sample-, time-, and communication-efficient protocols for testing and estimating a range of distribution properties, they all suffer from an inherent issue: for most interesting properties of distributions over a domain of size N, the verifier must draw at least Ω(√N) samples of its own. While sublinear in N, this is still prohibitive for large domains encountered in practice. In this work, we circumvent this limitation by augmenting the verifier with the ability to perform an exponentially smaller number of more powerful (but reasonable) pairwise conditional queries, effectively enabling them to perform "local comparison checks" of the prover’s claims. We systematically investigate the landscape of interactive proofs in this new setting, giving poly-logarithmic query and sample protocols for (tolerantly) testing all label-invariant properties, thus demonstrating exponential savings without compromising on communication, for this large and fundamental class of testing tasks.

Cite as

Ari Biswas, Mark Bun, Clément L. Canonne, and Satchit Sivakumar. Interactive Proofs for Distribution Testing with Conditional Oracles. In 17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 362, pp. 18:1-18:13, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{biswas_et_al:LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.18,
  author =	{Biswas, Ari and Bun, Mark and Canonne, Cl\'{e}ment L. and Sivakumar, Satchit},
  title =	{{Interactive Proofs for Distribution Testing with Conditional Oracles}},
  booktitle =	{17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026)},
  pages =	{18:1--18:13},
  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.2026.18},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-253059},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.18},
  annote =	{Keywords: Distribution Testing, Interactive Proofs}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.6

Model-Generic Incrementally Verifiable Computation from Updatable BARGs

Authors: Eden Aldema Tshuva and Rotem Oshman

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

Abstract

Incrementally verifiable computation (IVC) is a computationally sound proof system that allows a prover to certify the correctness of a long or ongoing computation in an incremental manner, by repeatedly updating a proof certifying the computation so far. Updating the proof does not require access to the entire trace of the computation, which makes the IVC-prover memory efficient. Recently, such schemes were constructed for deterministic Turing machines from standard cryptographic assumptions (Paneth and Pass, FOCS 2022, and Devadas et al., FOCS 2022). In this work we generalize and extend IVC to support incremental certification and verifiability of a large set of computation models, focusing on distributed and online computation. This allows distributed algorithms to efficiently certify their own execution using low memory and communication overhead. We construct IVC for a variety of computation models by proving one generic lifting theorem from a classical (non-incremental) delegation scheme (also known as SNARG) into full-fledged IVC, while preserving the delegation scheme’s succinctness properties (up to an additive factor which is polynomial in the security parameter and independent of the size of the computation). Using this lifting theorem, we obtain IVC for the following computation models: - RAM and exclusive-read exclusive-write (EREW) PRAM algorithms, using existing delegation schemes for these models. - Streaming algorithms, using the natural memory-efficiency properties of the model. - Massively parallel computation (MPC). Notably, in this model, memory efficiency is a critical bottleneck: the machines participating in an MPC algorithm usually cannot store the entire trace of their computation. Thus, certifying MPC algorithms naturally benefits from IVC. Moreover, since prior to our work, no delegation scheme for this model was known, we also construct a delegation scheme for one-round massively parallel computations, and then apply our lifting theorem to it. - Distributed graph algorithms, using existing distributed delegation schemes (also known as locally verifiable distributed SNARGs). Here, in order to use our lifting theorem we have to first make some observations about the verification procedure of these existing schemes. At the heart of this work is a new abstraction, updatable batch arguments for NP (UpBARGs), which we define and construct. Standard BARGs allow one to prove a batch of k NP-statements using a proof whose length barely grows with k; however, the statements and their witnesses must all be known in advance. In contrast, UpBARGs support adding statements and witnesses on the fly, making them a flexible tool for constructing IVC across different computational models.

Cite as

Eden Aldema Tshuva and Rotem Oshman. Model-Generic Incrementally Verifiable Computation from Updatable BARGs. In 17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 362, pp. 6:1-6:22, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{aldematshuva_et_al:LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.6,
  author =	{Aldema Tshuva, Eden and Oshman, Rotem},
  title =	{{Model-Generic Incrementally Verifiable Computation from Updatable BARGs}},
  booktitle =	{17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026)},
  pages =	{6:1--6:22},
  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.2026.6},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-252931},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.6},
  annote =	{Keywords: incrementally verifiable computation, massively parallel computation, streaming, parallel RAM, batch arguments, SNARG}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.79

Range Avoidance and Remote Point: New Algorithms and Hardness

Authors: Shengtang Huang, Xin Li, and Yan Zhong

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

Abstract

The Range Avoidance (Avoid) problem C-Avoid[n,m(n)] asks that, given a circuit in a class C with input length n and output length m(n) > n, find a string not in the range of the circuit. This problem has been a central piece in several recent frameworks for proving circuit lower bounds and constructing explicit combinatorial objects. Previous work by Korten (FOCS' 21) and by Ren, Santhanam, and Wang (FOCS' 22) showed that algorithms for Avoid are closely related to circuit lower bounds. In particular, Korten’s work reinterpreted an earlier result from bounded arithmetic, originally proved by Jeřábek (Ann. Pure Appl. Log. 2004), as an equivalence in computational complexity between the existence of FP^NP algorithms for the general Avoid problem and 2^{Ω(n)} lower bounds against general Boolean circuits for the class 𝐄^NP. In this work, we significantly complement these works by generalizing the equivalence result to restricted circuit classes and obtain the following: - For any constant depth unbounded fan-in circuit class C ⊇ AC⁰, there is an FP^NP algorithm for C-Avoid[n,n^{1+ε}] (for any constant ε > 0) if and only if 𝐄^NP cannot be computed by C circuits of size 2^{o(n)}. This addresses an open problem by Korten (Bulletin of EATCS' 25). - If 𝐄^NP cannot be computed by o(2ⁿ/n) size formulas, then there is an FP^NP algorithm for NC⁰-Avoid[n,2n]. Note that by an extension of Ren, Santhanam, and Wang (FOCS' 22), an FP^NP algorithm for NC⁰₄-Avoid[n,n+n^δ] for any constant δ ∈ (0,1) implies 𝐄^NP cannot be computed by o(2ⁿ/n) size formulas. These results yield the first characterizations of FP^NP C-Avoid algorithms for low-complexity circuit classes such as AC⁰. We also consider the average-case analog of Avoid, the Remote Point (Remote-Point) problem, and establish: - For some suitable function c(n) and constant γ > 0, there is an FP^NP algorithm for Remote-Point[n,n^{6+γ},c(O_{γ}(log n))] if and only if 𝐄^NP cannot be (1/2-c(n))-approximated by circuits of size 2^{o(n)}. Finally, we also present two improved algorithms for NC⁰-Avoid: - A family of 2^{n^{1 - ε/(k-1) +o(1)}} time algorithms for NC⁰_k-Avoid[n,n^{1+ε}] for any ε > 0, exhibiting the first subexponential-time algorithm for any super-linear stretch. - Faster local algorithms for NC⁰_k-Avoid[n,n+1] running in time O(n2^{(k-2)/(k-1) n}), improving the naive 2ⁿ⋅ poly(n) bound.

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Shengtang Huang, Xin Li, and Yan Zhong. Range Avoidance and Remote Point: New Algorithms and Hardness. In 17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 362, pp. 79:1-79:19, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2026)

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@InProceedings{huang_et_al:LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.79,
  author =	{Huang, Shengtang and Li, Xin and Zhong, Yan},
  title =	{{Range Avoidance and Remote Point: New Algorithms and Hardness}},
  booktitle =	{17th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2026)},
  pages =	{79:1--79:19},
  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.2026.79},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-253662},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ITCS.2026.79},
  annote =	{Keywords: Circuit Lower Bounds, Range Avoidance Problem, Remote Point Problem}
}

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Brief Announcement

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.44

Brief Announcement: Incrementally Verifiable Distributed Computation

Authors: Eden Aldema Tshuva and Rotem Oshman

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 356, 39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025)

Abstract

Incrementally verifiable computation (IVC) is a cryptographic scheme that allows a prover to certify the correctness of a long or ongoing computation in an incremental manner, by repeatedly updating a proof certifying the computation so far. Updating the proof does not require access to the entire trace of the computation, which makes the IVC prover memory efficient. In this work we construct incrementally verifiable distributed computation, which allows a distributed algorithm to efficiently certify its own execution using low memory and communication overhead. Our primary motivation is massively-parallel computation (MPC), where memory efficiency is make-or-break: the machines participating in an MPC algorithm usually cannot store the entire trace of their computation. Thus, certifying MPC algorithms essentially requires distributed IVC. At the heart of this work is a new abstraction, updatable batch arguments for {NP} (UpBARGs), which we define and construct. Standard BARGs allow one to prove a batch of k {NP}-statements using a proof whose length barely grows with k; however, the statements and their witnesses must all be known in advance. In contrast, UpBARGs support adding statements and witnesses on the fly, making them a flexible tool for constructing IVC across different computational models. We use UpBARGs to construct IVC for streaming algorithms, for MPC algorithms, and for PRAM algorithms in the exclusive-read exclusive-write (EREW) model.

Cite as

Eden Aldema Tshuva and Rotem Oshman. Brief Announcement: Incrementally Verifiable Distributed Computation. In 39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 356, pp. 44:1-44:7, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{aldematshuva_et_al:LIPIcs.DISC.2025.44,
  author =	{Aldema Tshuva, Eden and Oshman, Rotem},
  title =	{{Brief Announcement: Incrementally Verifiable Distributed Computation}},
  booktitle =	{39th International Symposium on Distributed Computing (DISC 2025)},
  pages =	{44:1--44:7},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-402-4},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{356},
  editor =	{Kowalski, Dariusz R.},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.44},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-248829},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.DISC.2025.44},
  annote =	{Keywords: Incrementally verifiable computation, massively parallel computation, streaming, parallel RAM, batch arguments, SNARG}
}

Document

RANDOM

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.60

Sink-Free Orientations: A Local Sampler with Applications

Authors: Konrad Anand, Graham Freifeld, Heng Guo, Chunyang Wang, and Jiaheng Wang

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 353, Approximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques (APPROX/RANDOM 2025)

Abstract

For sink-free orientations in graphs of minimum degree at least 3, we show that there is a deterministic approximate counting algorithm that runs in time O((n^33/ε^32)log(n/ε)), a near-linear time sampling algorithm, and a randomised approximate counting algorithm that runs in time O((n/ε)²log(n/ε)), where n denotes the number of vertices of the input graph and 0 < ε < 1 is the desired accuracy. All three algorithms are based on a local implementation of the sink popping method (Cohn, Pemantle, and Propp, 2002) under the partial rejection sampling framework (Guo, Jerrum, and Liu, 2019).

Cite as

Konrad Anand, Graham Freifeld, Heng Guo, Chunyang Wang, and Jiaheng Wang. Sink-Free Orientations: A Local Sampler with Applications. In Approximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques (APPROX/RANDOM 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 353, pp. 60:1-60:19, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{anand_et_al:LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.60,
  author =	{Anand, Konrad and Freifeld, Graham and Guo, Heng and Wang, Chunyang and Wang, Jiaheng},
  title =	{{Sink-Free Orientations: A Local Sampler with Applications}},
  booktitle =	{Approximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques (APPROX/RANDOM 2025)},
  pages =	{60:1--60:19},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-397-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{353},
  editor =	{Ene, Alina and Chattopadhyay, Eshan},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.60},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-244267},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.60},
  annote =	{Keywords: Sink-free orientations, local sampling, deterministic counting}
}

Document

RANDOM

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.59

Testing Tensor Products of Algebraic Codes

Authors: Sumegha Garg, Madhu Sudan, and Gabriel Wu

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 353, Approximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques (APPROX/RANDOM 2025)

Abstract

Motivated by recent advances in locally testable codes and quantum LDPCs based on robust testability of tensor product codes, we explore the local testability of tensor products of (an abstraction of) algebraic geometry codes. Such codes are parameterized by, in addition to standard parameters such as block length n and dimension k, their genus g. We show that the tensor product of two algebraic geometry codes is robustly locally testable provided n = Ω((k+g)²). Apart from Reed-Solomon codes, this seems to be the first explicit family of two-wise tensor codes of high dual distance that is robustly locally testable by the natural test that measures the expected distance of a random row/column from the underlying code.

Cite as

Sumegha Garg, Madhu Sudan, and Gabriel Wu. Testing Tensor Products of Algebraic Codes. In Approximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques (APPROX/RANDOM 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 353, pp. 59:1-59:12, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{garg_et_al:LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.59,
  author =	{Garg, Sumegha and Sudan, Madhu and Wu, Gabriel},
  title =	{{Testing Tensor Products of Algebraic Codes}},
  booktitle =	{Approximation, Randomization, and Combinatorial Optimization. Algorithms and Techniques (APPROX/RANDOM 2025)},
  pages =	{59:1--59:12},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-397-3},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{353},
  editor =	{Ene, Alina and Chattopadhyay, Eshan},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.59},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-244254},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.APPROX/RANDOM.2025.59},
  annote =	{Keywords: Algebraic geometry codes, Robust testability, Tensor products of codes}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.TQC.2025.5

Towards a Complexity-Theoretic Dichotomy for TQFT Invariants

Authors: Nicolas Bridges and Eric Samperton

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 350, 20th Conference on the Theory of Quantum Computation, Communication and Cryptography (TQC 2025)

Abstract

We show that for any fixed (2+1)-dimensional TQFT over ℂ of either Turaev-Viro-Barrett-Westbury or Reshetikhin-Turaev type, the problem of (exactly) computing its invariants on closed 3-manifolds is either solvable in polynomial time, or else it is #𝖯-hard to (exactly) contract certain tensors that are built from the TQFT’s fusion category. Our proof is an application of a dichotomy result of Cai and Chen [J. ACM, 2017] concerning weighted constraint satisfaction problems over ℂ. We leave for future work the issue of reinterpreting the conditions of Cai and Chen that distinguish between the two cases (i.e. #𝖯-hard tensor contractions vs. polynomial time invariants) in terms of fusion categories. We expect that with more effort, our reduction can be improved so that one gets a dichotomy directly for TQFTs' invariants of 3-manifolds rather than more general tensors built from TQFTs' fusion categories.

Cite as

Nicolas Bridges and Eric Samperton. Towards a Complexity-Theoretic Dichotomy for TQFT Invariants. In 20th Conference on the Theory of Quantum Computation, Communication and Cryptography (TQC 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 350, pp. 5:1-5:21, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{bridges_et_al:LIPIcs.TQC.2025.5,
  author =	{Bridges, Nicolas and Samperton, Eric},
  title =	{{Towards a Complexity-Theoretic Dichotomy for TQFT Invariants}},
  booktitle =	{20th Conference on the Theory of Quantum Computation, Communication and Cryptography (TQC 2025)},
  pages =	{5:1--5:21},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-392-8},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{350},
  editor =	{Fefferman, Bill},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.TQC.2025.5},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-240548},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.TQC.2025.5},
  annote =	{Keywords: Complexity, topological quantum field theory, dichotomy theorems, constraint satisfaction problems, tensor categories}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.ITC.2025.7

Linear-Time Secure Merge in O(loglog n) Rounds

Authors: Mark Blunk, Paul Bunn, Samuel Dittmer, Steve Lu, and Rafail Ostrovsky

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 343, 6th Conference on Information-Theoretic Cryptography (ITC 2025)

Abstract

The problem of Secure Merge consists of combining two sorted lists (which are either held separately by two parties, or secret-shared among two or more parties), and outputting a single merged (sorted) list, secret-shared among all parties. Just as insecure algorithms for comparison-based sorting are slower than merging (i.e., for lists of size n, Θ(n log n) versus Θ(n)), we explore whether an analogous separation exists for secure protocols; namely, if there exist techniques for performing secure merge that are more performant than simply invoking secure sort. We answer this question affirmatively by constructing a secure merge protocol with optimal Θ(n) communication and computation, and Θ(log log n) rounds of communication. Our results are based solely on black-box use of basic secure primitives, such as secure comparison and secure shuffle. Since two-party secure primitives require computational assumptions, while three-party do not, our protocols achieve these bounds against semi-honest adversaries via a computationally secure two-party (resp. an information-theoretically secure three-party) secure merge protocol. Secure sort is a fundamental building block used in many MPC protocols, e.g., various private set intersection protocols and oblivious RAM protocols. More efficient secure sort can lead to concrete improvements in the overall run-time. Since secure sort can often be replaced by secure merge - as inputs (from different participating players) can be presorted - an efficient secure merge protocol has wide applicability. There are also a range of applications in the field of secure databases, including secure database joins, as well as updatable database storage and search, whereby secure merge can be used to insert new entries into an existing (sorted) database. In building our secure merge protocol, we develop several subprotocols that may be of independent interest. For example, we develop a protocol for secure asymmetric merge (when one list is much larger than the other).

Cite as

Mark Blunk, Paul Bunn, Samuel Dittmer, Steve Lu, and Rafail Ostrovsky. Linear-Time Secure Merge in O(loglog n) Rounds. In 6th Conference on Information-Theoretic Cryptography (ITC 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 343, pp. 7:1-7:23, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{blunk_et_al:LIPIcs.ITC.2025.7,
  author =	{Blunk, Mark and Bunn, Paul and Dittmer, Samuel and Lu, Steve and Ostrovsky, Rafail},
  title =	{{Linear-Time Secure Merge in O(loglog n) Rounds}},
  booktitle =	{6th Conference on Information-Theoretic Cryptography (ITC 2025)},
  pages =	{7:1--7:23},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-385-0},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{343},
  editor =	{Gilboa, Niv},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.ITC.2025.7},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-243573},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.ITC.2025.7},
  annote =	{Keywords: Secure Merge, Secure Sort, Secure Databases, Private Set Intersection}
}

Document

DOI: 10.4230/LIPIcs.SAT.2025.9

CNFs and DNFs with Exactly k Solutions

Authors: L. Sunil Chandran, Rishikesh Gajjala, and Kuldeep S. Meel

Published in: LIPIcs, Volume 341, 28th International Conference on Theory and Applications of Satisfiability Testing (SAT 2025)

Abstract

Model counting is a fundamental problem that consists of determining the number of satisfying assignments for a given Boolean formula. The weighted variant, which computes the weighted sum of satisfying assignments, has extensive applications in probabilistic reasoning, network reliability, statistical physics, and formal verification. A common approach for solving weighted model counting is to reduce it to unweighted model counting, which raises an important question: What is the minimum number of terms (or clauses) required to construct a DNF (or CNF) formula with exactly k satisfying assignments? In this paper, we establish both upper and lower bounds on this question. We prove that for any natural number k, one can construct a monotone DNF formula with exactly k satisfying assignments using at most O(√{log k}log log k) terms. This construction represents the first o(log k) upper bound for this problem. We complement this result by showing that there exist infinitely many values of k for which any DNF or CNF representation requires at least Ω(log log k) terms or clauses. These results have significant implications for the efficiency of model counting algorithms based on formula transformations.

Cite as

L. Sunil Chandran, Rishikesh Gajjala, and Kuldeep S. Meel. CNFs and DNFs with Exactly k Solutions. In 28th International Conference on Theory and Applications of Satisfiability Testing (SAT 2025). Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs), Volume 341, pp. 9:1-9:15, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2025)

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@InProceedings{chandran_et_al:LIPIcs.SAT.2025.9,
  author =	{Chandran, L. Sunil and Gajjala, Rishikesh and Meel, Kuldeep S.},
  title =	{{CNFs and DNFs with Exactly k Solutions}},
  booktitle =	{28th International Conference on Theory and Applications of Satisfiability Testing (SAT 2025)},
  pages =	{9:1--9:15},
  series =	{Leibniz International Proceedings in Informatics (LIPIcs)},
  ISBN =	{978-3-95977-381-2},
  ISSN =	{1868-8969},
  year =	{2025},
  volume =	{341},
  editor =	{Berg, Jeremias and Nordstr\"{o}m, Jakob},
  publisher =	{Schloss Dagstuhl -- Leibniz-Zentrum f{\"u}r Informatik},
  address =	{Dagstuhl, Germany},
  URL =		{https://drops.dagstuhl.de/entities/document/10.4230/LIPIcs.SAT.2025.9},
  URN =		{urn:nbn:de:0030-drops-237433},
  doi =		{10.4230/LIPIcs.SAT.2025.9},
  annote =	{Keywords: Model counting, #SAT, Set Systems, Combinatorics}
}

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