A random Hall-Paige conjecture

Journal article

A complete mapping of a group G is a bijection ϕ:G→G such that x↦xϕ(x) is also bijective. Hall and Paige conjectured in 1955 that a finite group G has a complete mapping whenever ∏x∈Gx is the identity in the abelianization of G. This was confirmed in 2009 by Wilcox, Evans, and Bray with a proof using the classification of finite simple groups. In this paper, we give a combinatorial proof of a far-reaching generalisation of the Hall-Paige conjecture for large groups. We show that for random-like and equal-sized subsets A, B, C of a group G, there exists a bijection ϕ:A→B such that x↦xϕ(x) is a bijection from A to C whenever ∏a∈Aa∏b∈Bb=∏c∈Cc in the abelianization of G. We use this statement as a black-box to settle the following old problems in combinatorial group theory for large groups. (1) We characterise sequenceable groups, that is, groups which admit a permutation π of their elements such that the partial products π1, π1π2, π1π2⋯πn are all distinct. This resolves a problem of Gordon from 1961 and confirms conjectures made by several authors, including Keedwell’s 1981 conjecture that all large non-abelian groups are sequenceable. We also characterise the related R-sequenceable groups, addressing a problem of Ringel from 1974. (2) We confirm in a strong form a conjecture of Snevily from 1999 by characterising large subsquares of multiplication tables of finite groups that admit transversals. Previously, this characterisation was known only for abelian groups of odd order (by a combination of papers by Alon and Dasgupta-Károlyi-Serra-Szegedy and Arsovski). (3) We characterise the abelian groups that can be partitioned into zero-sum sets of specific sizes, solving a problem of Tannenbaum from 1981. This also confirms a recent conjecture of Cichacz. (4) We characterise harmonious groups, that is, groups with an ordering in which the product of each consecutive pair of elements is distinct, solving a problem of Evans from 2015.

Authors: Müyesser, A; Pokrovskiy, A

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer
• Journal: Inventiones Mathematicae
• Volume: 240
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 779-867
• Publication date: 2025-03-05
• Acceptance date: 2025-02-20
• DOI: 10.1007/s00222-025-01328-x
• EISSN: 1432-1297
• ISSN: 0020-9910
• Language: English