Finding Longest Paths in Hypercubes: 11 New Lower Bounds for Snakes, Coils, and Symmetrical Coils

Abstract

AbstractSince the problem’s formulation by Kautz in 1958 as an error detection tool, diverse applications for long snakes and coils have been found. These include coding theory, electrical engineering, and genetics. Over the years, the problem has been explored by many researchers in different fields using varied approaches, and has taken on additional meaning. The problem has become a benchmark for evaluating search techniques in combinatorially expansive search spaces (NP-complete Optimizations).We build on our previous work and present improved heuristics for Stochastic Beam Search sub-solution selection in searching for longest induced paths: open (snakes), closed (coils), and symmetric closed (symmetric coils); in n-dimensional hypercube graphs. Stochastic Beam Search, a non-deterministic variant of Beam Search, provides the overall structure for our search. We present eleven new lower bounds for the Snake-in-the-Box problem for snakes in dimensions 11, 12, and 13; coils in dimensions 10, 11, and 12; and symmetric coils in dimensions 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. The best known solutions of the unsolved dimensions of this problem have improved over the years and we are proud to make a contribution to this problem as well as the continued progress in combinatorial search techniques.KeywordsStochastic Beam SearchSnake-in-the-BoxCombinatorial optimizationGraph searchHypercubeHeuristic search