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We revisit a graph width parameter that we dub bipartite treewidth, along with its associated graph decomposition that we call bipartite tree decomposition. Bipartite treewidth can be seen as a common generalization of treewidth and the odd cycle transversal number. Intuitively, a bipartite tree decomposition is a tree decomposition whose bags induce almost bipartite graphs and whose adhesions contain at most one vertex from the bipartite part of any other bag, while the width of such decomposition measures how far the bags are from being bipartite. Adapted from a tree decomposition originally defined by Demaine, Hajiaghayi, and Kawarabayashi [SODA 2010] and explicitly defined by Tazari [Theor. Comput. Sci. 2012], bipartite treewidth appears to play a crucial role for solving problems related to odd-minors, which have recently attracted considerable attention. As a first step toward a theory for solving these problems efficiently, the main goal of this paper is to develop dynamic programming techniques to solve problems on graphs of small bipartite treewidth. For such graphs, we provide a number of para-NP-completeness results, FPT-algorithms, and XP-algorithms, as well as several open problems. In particular, we show that K_t-Subgraph-Cover, Weighted Vertex Cover/Independent Set, Odd Cycle Transversal, and Maximum Weighted Cut are FPT parameterized by bipartite treewidth. We also provide the following complexity dichotomy when H is a 2-connected graph, for each of the H-Subgraph-Packing, H-Induced-Packing, H-Scattered-Packing, and H-Odd-Minor-Packing problems: if H is bipartite, then the problem is para-NP-complete parameterized by bipartite treewidth while, if H is non-bipartite, then the problem is solvable in XP-time. Beyond bipartite treewidth, we define 1-ℋ-treewidth by replacing the bipartite graph class by any graph class ℋ. Most of the technology developed here also works for this more general parameter.

We introduce a novel model-theoretic framework inspired from graph modification and based on the interplay between model theory and algorithmic graph minors. The core of our framework is a new compound logic operating with two types of sentences, expressing graph modification: the modulator sentence, defining some property of the modified part of the graph, and the target sentence, defining some property of the resulting graph. In our framework, modulator sentences are in counting monadic second-order logic (CMSOL) and have models of bounded treewidth, while target sentences express first-order logic (FOL) properties along with minor-exclusion. Our logic captures problems that are not definable in first-order logic and, moreover, may have instances of unbounded treewidth. Also, it permits the modeling of wide families of problems involving vertex/edge removals, alternative modulator measures (such as elimination distance or G-treewidth), multistage modifications, and various cut problems. Our main result is that, for this compound logic, model-checking can be done in quadratic time. All derived algorithms are constructive and this, as a byproduct, extends the constructibility horizon of the algorithmic applications of the Graph Minors theorem of Robertson and Seymour. The proposed logic can be seen as a general framework to capitalize on the potential of the irrelevant vertex technique. It gives a way to deal with problem instances of unbounded treewidth, for which Courcelle’s theorem does not apply.

Disjoint-paths logic, denoted $\mathsf{FO}$+$\mathsf{DP}$, extends first-order logic ($\mathsf{FO}$) with atomic predicates $\mathsf{dp}_k[(x_1,y_1),\ldots,(x_k,y_k)]$, expressing the existence of internally vertex-disjoint paths between $x_i$ and $y_i$, for $1\leq i\leq k$. We prove that for every graph class excluding some fixed graph as a topological minor, the model checking problem for $\mathsf{FO}$+$\mathsf{DP}$ is fixed-parameter tractable. This essentially settles the question of tractable model checking for this logic on subgraph-closed classes, since the problem is hard on subgraph-closed classes not excluding a topological minor (assuming a further mild condition of efficiency of encoding).

We introduce a new framework for designing fixed-parameter algorithms with subexponential running time---2^O(sqrt k) n^O(1). Our results apply to a broad family of graph problems, called bidimensional problems, which includes many domination and covering problems such as vertex cover, feedback vertex set, minimum maximal matching, dominating set, edge dominating set, clique-transversal set, and many others restricted to bounded genus graphs. Furthermore, it is fairly straightforward to prove that a problem is bidimensional. In particular, our framework includes as special cases all previously known problems to have such subexponential algorithms. Previously, these algorithms applied to planar graphs, single-crossing-minor-free graphs, and/or map graphs; we extend these results to apply to bounded-genus graphs as well. In a parallel development of combinatorial results, we establish an upper bound on the treewidth (or branchwidth) of a bounded-genus graph that excludes some planar graph H as a minor. This bound depends linearly on the size |V(H)| of the excluded graph H and the genus g(G) of the graph G, and applies and extends the graph-minors work of Robertson and Seymour. Building on these results, we develop subexponential fixed-parameter algorithms for dominating set, vertex cover, and set cover in any class of graphs excluding a fixed graph H as a minor. In particular, this general category of graphs includes planar graphs, bounded-genus graphs, single-crossing-minor-free graphs, and any class of graphs that is closed under taking minors. Specifically, the running time is 2^O(sqrt k) n^h, where h is a constant depending only on H, which is polynomial for k = O(log^2 n). We introduce a general approach for developing algorithms on H-minor-free graphs, based on structural results about H-minor-free graphs at the heart of Robertson and Seymour's graph-minors work. We believe this approach opens the way to further development on problems in H-minor-free graphs.

We introduce a graph-parametric framework for obtaining obstruction characterizations of graph parameters with respect to partial ordering relations. For this, we define the notions of class obstruction, parametric obstruction, and universal obstruction as combinatorial objects that determine the asymptotic behavior of graph parameters. Our framework permits a unified framework for classifying graph parameters. Under this framework, we survey existing graph- theoretic results on most known graph parameters. Also we provide some unifying results on their classification.

The \textsl{branchwidth} of a graph has been introduced by Roberson and Seymour as a measure of the tree-decomposability of a graph, alternative to treewidth. Branchwidth is polynomially computable on planar graphs by the celebrated ``Ratcatcher''-algorithm of Seymour and Thomas. We investigate an extension of this algorithm to minor-closed graph classes, further than planar graphs as follows: Let $H_{0}$ be a graph embeddedable in the projective plane and $H_{1}$ be a graph embeddedable in the torus. We prove that every $\{H_{0},H_{1}\}$-minor free graph $G$ contains a subgraph $G'$ where the difference between the branchwidth of $G$ and the branchwidth of $G'$ is bounded by some constant, depending only on $H_{0}$ and $H_{1}$. Moreover, the graph $G'$ admits a tree decomposition where all torsos are planar. This decomposition can be used for deriving an EPTAS for branchwidth: For $\{H_{0},H_{1}\}$-minor free graphs, there is a function $f\colon\mathbb{N}\to\mathbb{N}$ and a $(1+\epsilon)$-approximation algorithm for branchwidth, running in time $\mathcal{O}(n^3+f(\frac{1}{\epsilon})\cdot n),$ for every $\epsilon>0$., Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2010.12397 by other authors

We revisit a graph width parameter that we dub bipartite treewidth, along with its associated graph decomposition that we call bipartite tree decomposition. Bipartite treewidth can be seen as a common generalization of treewidth and the odd cycle transversal number. Intuitively, a bipartite tree decomposition is a tree decomposition whose bags induce almost bipartite graphs and whose adhesions contain at most one vertex from the bipartite part of any other bag, while the width of such decomposition measures how far the bags are from being bipartite. Adapted from a tree decomposition originally defined by Demaine, Hajiaghayi, and Kawarabayashi [SODA 2010] and explicitly defined by Tazari [Th. Comp. Sci. 2012], bipartite treewidth appears to play a crucial role for solving problems related to odd-minors, which have recently attracted considerable attention. As a first step toward a theory for solving these problems efficiently, the main goal of this paper is to develop dynamic programming techniques to solve problems on graphs of small bipartite treewidth. For such graphs, we provide a number of para-NP-completeness results, FPT-algorithms, and XP-algorithms, as well as several open problems. In particular, we show that $K_t$-Subgraph-Cover, Weighted Vertex Cover/Independent Set, Odd Cycle Transversal, and Maximum Weighted Cut are $FPT$ parameterized by bipartite treewidth. We provide the following complexity dichotomy when $H$ is a 2-connected graph, for each of $H$-Subgraph-Packing, $H$-Induced-Packing, $H$-Scattered-Packing, and $H$-Odd-Minor-Packing problem: if $H$ is bipartite, then the problem is para-NP-complete parameterized by bipartite treewidth while, if $H$ is non-bipartite, then it is solvable in XP-time. We define 1-${\cal H}$-treewidth by replacing the bipartite graph class by any class ${\cal H}$. Most of the technology developed here works for this more general parameter., Comment: Presented in IPEC 2023

We introduce the notion of a universal obstruction of a graph parameter with respect to some quasi-ordering relation on graphs. Universal obstructions may serve as a canonical obstruction characterization of the approximate behaviour of graph parameters. We provide an order-theoretic characterization of the finiteness of universal obstructions and, when this is the case, we present some algorithmic implications on the existence of fixed-parameter algorithms.

\noindent By a seminal result of Valiant, computing the permanent of $(0,1)$-matrices is, in general, $\#\mathsf{P}$-hard. In 1913 P\'olya asked for which $(0,1)$-matrices $A$ it is possible to change some signs such that the permanent of $A$ equals the determinant of the resulting matrix. In 1975, Little showed these matrices to be exactly the biadjacency matrices of bipartite graphs excluding $K_{3,3}$ as a \{matching minor}. This was turned into a polynomial time algorithm by McCuaig, Robertson, Seymour, and Thomas in 1999. However, the relation between the exclusion of some matching minor in a bipartite graph and the tractability of the permanent extends beyond $K_{3,3}.$ Recently it was shown that the exclusion of any planar bipartite graph as a matching minor yields a class of bipartite graphs on which the {permanent} of the corresponding $(0,1)$-matrices can be computed efficiently. In this paper we unify the two results above into a single, more general result in the style of the celebrated structure theorem for single-crossing-minor-free graphs. We identify a class of bipartite graphs strictly generalising planar bipartite graphs and $K_{3,3}$ which includes infinitely many non-Pfaffian graphs. The exclusion of any member of this class as a matching minor yields a structure that allows for the efficient evaluation of the permanent. Moreover, we show that the evaluation of the permanent remains $\#\mathsf{P}$-hard on bipartite graphs which exclude $K_{5,5}$ as a matching minor. This establishes a first computational lower bound for the problem of counting perfect matchings on matching minor closed classes., Comment: Accepted in SODA 2023

The disjoint paths logic, FOL+DP, is an extension of First-Order Logic (FOL) with the extra atomic predicate $\mathsf{dp}_k(x_1,y_1,\ldots,x_k,y_k),$ expressing the existence of internally vertex-disjoint paths between $x_i$ and $y_i,$ for $i\in\{1,\ldots, k\}$. This logic can express a wide variety of problems that escape the expressibility potential of FOL. We prove that for every proper minor-closed graph class, model-checking for FOL+DP can be done in quadratic time. We also introduce an extension of FOL+DP, namely the scattered disjoint paths logic, FOL+SDP, where we further consider the atomic predicate $s{\sf -sdp}_k(x_1,y_1,\ldots,x_k,y_k),$ demanding that the disjoint paths are within distance bigger than some fixed value $s$. Using the same technique we prove that model-checking for FOL+SDP can be done in quadratic time on classes of graphs with bounded Euler genus., Comment: An extended abstract of this paper appeared in the Proceedings of the 34th Annual ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms (SODA 2023)

Let ${\cal G}$ be a minor-closed graph class and let $G$ be an $n$-vertex graph. We say that $G$ is a $k$-apex of ${\cal G}$ if $G$ contains a set $S$ of at most $k$ vertices such that $G\setminus S$ belongs to ${\cal G}$. Our first result is an algorithm that decides whether $G$ is a $k$-apex of ${\cal G}$ in time $2^{{\sf poly}(k)}\cdot n^2$, where ${\sf poly}$ is a polynomial function depending on ${\cal G}$. This algorithm improves the previous one, given by Sau, Stamoulis, and Thilikos [ICALP 2020], whose running time was $2^{{\sf poly}(k)}\cdot n^3$. The elimination distance of $G$ to ${\cal G}$, denoted by ${\sf ed}_{\cal G}(G)$, is the minimum number of rounds required to reduce each connected component of $G$ to a graph in ${\cal G}$ by removing one vertex from each connected component in each round. Bulian and Dawar [Algorithmica 2017] provided an FPT-algorithm, with parameter $k$, to decide whether ${\sf ed}_{\cal G}(G)\leq k$. However, its dependence on $k$ is not explicit. We extend the techniques used in the first algorithm to decide whether ${\sf ed}_{\cal G}(G)\leq k$ in time $2^{2^{2^{{\sf poly}(k)}}}\cdot n^2$. This is the first algorithm for this problem with an explicit parametric dependence in $k$. In the special case where ${\cal G}$ excludes some apex-graph as a minor, we give two alternative algorithms, running in time $2^{2^{{\cal O}(k^2\log k)}}\cdot n^2$ and $2^{{\sf poly}(k)}\cdot n^3$ respectively, where $c$ and ${\sf poly}$ depend on ${\cal G}$. As a stepping stone for these algorithms, we provide an algorithm that decides whether ${\sf ed}_{\cal G}(G)\leq k$ in time $2^{{\cal O}({\sf tw}\cdot k+{\sf tw}\log{\sf tw})}\cdot n$, where ${\sf tw}$ is the treewidth of $G$. Finally, we provide explicit upper bounds on the size of the graphs in the minor-obstruction set of the class of graphs ${\cal E}_k({\cal G})=\{G\mid{\sf ed}_{\cal G}(G)\leq k\}$., Comment: 63 pages, 7 figures, abstract abbreviated to fit arXiv limitation

Given a graph $G$, we define ${\bf bcg}(G)$ as the minimum $k$ for which $G$ can be contracted to the uniformly triangulated grid $\Gamma_{k}$. A graph class ${\cal G}$ has the SQG${\bf C}$ property if every graph $G\in{\cal G}$ has treewidth $\mathcal{O}({\bf bcg}(G)^{c})$ for some $1\leq c<2$. The SQG${\bf C}$ property is important for algorithm design as it defines the applicability horizon of a series of meta-algorithmic results, in the framework of bidimensionality theory, related to fast parameterized algorithms, kernelization, and approximation schemes. These results apply to a wide family of problems, namely problems that are contraction-bidimensional. Our main combinatorial result reveals a wide family of graph classes that satisfy the SQG${\bf C}$ property. This family includes, in particular, bounded-degree string graphs. This considerably extends the applicability of bidimensionality theory for contraction bidimensional problems.

We introduce a new kernelization tool, called rainbow matching technique}, that is appropriate for the design of polynomial kernels for packing problems and their hitting counterparts. Our technique capitalizes on the powerful combinatorial results of [Graf, Harris, Haxell, SODA 2021]. We apply the rainbow matching technique on four (di)graph packing or hitting problems, namely the Triangle-Packing in Tournament problem (TPT), where we ask for a packing of $k$ directed triangles in a tournament, Directed Feedback Vertex Set in Tournament problem (FVST), where we ask for a (hitting) set of at most $k$ vertices which intersects all triangles of a tournament, the Induced 2-Path-Packing (IPP) where we ask for a packing of $k$ induced paths of length two in a graph and Induced 2-Path Hitting Set problem (IPHS), where we ask for a (hitting) set of at most $k$ vertices which intersects all induced paths of length two in a graph. The existence of a sub-quadratic kernels for these problems was proven for the first time in [Fomin, Le, Lokshtanov, Saurabh, Thomass\'e, Zehavi. ACM Trans. Algorithms, 2019], where they gave a kernel of $O(k^{3/2})$ vertices for the two first problems and $O(k^{5/3})$ vertices for the two last. In the same paper it was questioned whether these bounds can be (optimally) improved to linear ones. Motivated by this question, we apply the rainbow matching technique and prove that TPT and FVST admit (almost linear) kernels of $k^{1+\frac{O(1)}{\sqrt{\log{k}}}}$ vertices and that IPP and IPHS admit kernels of $O(k)$ vertices., Comment: Accepted to SODA 2023

The Graph Minors Structure Theorem of Robertson and Seymour asserts that, for every graph $H,$ every $H$-minor-free graph can be obtained by clique-sums of ``almost embeddable'' graphs. Here a graph is ``almost embeddable'' if it can be obtained from a graph of bounded Euler-genus by pasting graphs of bounded pathwidth in an ``orderly fashion'' into a bounded number of faces, called the \textit{vortices}, and then adding a bounded number of additional vertices, called \textit{apices}, with arbitrary neighborhoods. Our main result is a {full classification} of all graphs $H$ for which the use of vortices in the theorem above can be avoided. To this end we identify a (parametric) graph $\mathscr{S}_{t}$ and prove that all $\mathscr{S}_{t}$-minor-free graphs can be obtained by clique-sums of graphs embeddable in a surface of bounded Euler-genus after deleting a bounded number of vertices. We show that this result is tight in the sense that the appearance of vortices cannot be avoided for $H$-minor-free graphs, whenever $H$ is not a minor of $\mathscr{S}_{t}$ for some $t\in\mathbb{N}.$ Using our new structure theorem, we design an algorithm that, given an $\mathscr{S}_{t}$-minor-free graph $G,$ computes the generating function of all perfect matchings of $G$ in polynomial time. Our results, combined with known complexity results, imply a complete characterization of minor-closed graph classes where the number of perfect matchings is polynomially computable: They are exactly those graph classes that do not contain every $\mathscr{S}_{t}$ as a minor. This provides a \textit{sharp} complexity dichotomy for the problem of counting perfect matchings in minor-closed classes., Comment: An earlier version of this paper has appeared at FOCS 2022 We also changed the term "vga-hierarchy" with the more appropriate term "vga-lattice". arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2010.12397 by other authors

We consider the mixed search game against an agile and visible fugitive. This is the variant of the classic fugitive search game on graphs where searchers may be placed to (or removed from) the vertices or slide along edges. Moreover, the fugitive resides on the edges of the graph and can move at any time along unguarded paths. The mixed search number against an agile and visible fugitive of a graph $G$, denoted $avms(G)$, is the minimum number of searchers required to capture to fugitive in this graph searching variant. Our main result is that this graph searching variant is monotone in the sense that the number of searchers required for a successful search strategy does not increase if we restrict the search strategies to those that do not permit the fugitive to visit an already clean edge. This means that mixed search strategies against an agile and visible fugitive can be polynomially certified, and therefore that the problem of deciding, given a graph $G$ and an integer $k,$ whether $avms(G)\leq k$ is in NP. Our proof is based on the introduction of the notion of tight bramble, that serves as an obstruction for the corresponding search parameter. Our results imply that for a graph $G$, $avms(G)$ is equal to the Cartesian tree product number of $G$ that is the minimum $k$ for which $G$ is a minor of the Cartesian product of a tree and a clique on $k$ vertices., Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures

A strict bramble of a graph $G$ is a collection of pairwise-intersecting connected subgraphs of $G.$ The order of a strict bramble ${\cal B}$ is the minimum size of a set of vertices intersecting all sets of ${\cal B}.$ The strict bramble number of $G,$ denoted by ${\sf sbn}(G),$ is the maximum order of a strict bramble in $G.$ The strict bramble number of $G$ can be seen as a way to extend the notion of acyclicity, departing from the fact that (non-empty) acyclic graphs are exactly the graphs where every strict bramble has order one. We initiate the study of this graph parameter by providing three alternative definitions, each revealing different structural characteristics. The first is a min-max theorem asserting that ${\sf sbn}(G)$ is equal to the minimum $k$ for which $G$ is a minor of the lexicographic product of a tree and a clique on $k$ vertices (also known as the lexicographic tree product number). The second characterization is in terms of a new variant of a tree decomposition called lenient tree decomposition. We prove that ${\sf sbn}(G)$ is equal to the minimum $k$ for which there exists a lenient tree decomposition of $G$ of width at most $k.$ The third characterization is in terms of extremal graphs. For this, we define, for each $k,$ the concept of a $k$-domino-tree and we prove that every edge-maximal graph of strict bramble number at most $k$ is a $k$-domino-tree. We also identify three graphs that constitute the minor-obstruction set of the class of graphs with strict bramble number at most two. We complete our results by proving that, given some $G$ and $k,$ deciding whether ${\sf sbn}(G) \leq k$ is an ${\sf NP}$-complete problem.

The Weighted ?-Vertex Deletion for a class ? of graphs asks, weighted graph G, for a minimum weight vertex set S such that G-S ? ?. The case when ? is minor-closed and excludes some graph as a minor has received particular attention but a constant-factor approximation remained elusive for Weighted ?-Vertex Deletion. Only three cases of minor-closed ? are known to admit constant-factor approximations, namely Vertex Cover, Feedback Vertex Set and Diamond Hitting Set. We study the problem for the class ? of ?_c-minor-free graphs, under the equivalent setting of the Weighted c-Bond Cover problem, and present a constant-factor approximation algorithm using the primal-dual method. For this, we leverage a structure theorem implicit in [Joret et al., SIDMA'14] which states the following: any graph G containing a ?_c-minor-model either contains a large two-terminal protrusion, or contains a constant-size ?_c-minor-model, or a collection of pairwise disjoint constant-sized connected sets that can be contracted simultaneously to yield a dense graph. In the first case, we tame the graph by replacing the protrusion with a special-purpose weighted gadget. For the second and third case, we provide a weighting scheme which guarantees a local approximation ratio. Besides making an important step in the quest of (dis)proving a constant-factor approximation for Weighted ?-Vertex Deletion, our result may be useful as a template for algorithms for other minor-closed families.

The Weighted ?-Vertex Deletion for a class ? of graphs asks, weighted graph G, for a minimum weight vertex set S such that G-S ? ?. The case when ? is minor-closed and excludes some graph as a minor has received particular attention but a constant-factor approximation remained elusive for Weighted ?-Vertex Deletion. Only three cases of minor-closed ? are known to admit constant-factor approximations, namely Vertex Cover, Feedback Vertex Set and Diamond Hitting Set. We study the problem for the class ? of ?_c-minor-free graphs, under the equivalent setting of the Weighted c-Bond Cover problem, and present a constant-factor approximation algorithm using the primal-dual method. For this, we leverage a structure theorem implicit in [Joret et al., SIDMA'14] which states the following: any graph G containing a ?_c-minor-model either contains a large two-terminal protrusion, or contains a constant-size ?_c-minor-model, or a collection of pairwise disjoint constant-sized connected sets that can be contracted simultaneously to yield a dense graph. In the first case, we tame the graph by replacing the protrusion with a special-purpose weighted gadget. For the second and third case, we provide a weighting scheme which guarantees a local approximation ratio. Besides making an important step in the quest of (dis)proving a constant-factor approximation for Weighted ?-Vertex Deletion, our result may be useful as a template for algorithms for other minor-closed families.

We introduce the graph theoretical parameter of edge treewidth. This parameter occurs in a natural way as the tree-like analogue of cutwidth or, alternatively, as an edge-analogue of treewidth. We study the combinatorial properties of edge-treewidth. We first observe that edge-treewidth does not enjoy any closeness properties under the known partial ordering relations on graphs. We introduce a variant of the topological minor relation, namely, the weak topological minor relation and we prove that edge-treewidth is closed under weak topological minors. Based on this new relation we are able to provide universal obstructions for edge-treewidth. The proofs are based on the fact that edge-treewidth of a graph is parametetrically equivalent with the maximum over the treewidth and the maximum degree of the blocks of the graph. We also prove that deciding whether the edge-treewidth of a graph is at most k is an NP-complete problem., Comment: 22 pages, 10 figures

We introduce a novel model-theoretic framework inspired from graph modification and based on the interplay between model theory and algorithmic graph minors. The core of our framework is a new compound logic operating with two types of sentences, expressing graph modification: the modulator sentence, defining some property of the modified part of the graph, and the target sentence, defining some property of the resulting graph. In our framework, modulator sentences are in counting monadic second-order logic (CMSOL) and have models of bounded treewidth, while target sentences express first-order logic (FOL) properties along with minor-exclusion. Our logic captures problems that are not definable in first-order logic and, moreover, may have instances of unbounded treewidth. Also, it permits the modeling of wide families of problems involving vertex/edge removals, alternative modulator measures (such as elimination distance or $\mathcal{G}$-treewidth), multistage modifications, and various cut problems. Our main result is that, for this compound logic, model-checking can be done in quadratic time. All derived algorithms are constructive and this, as a byproduct, extends the constructibility horizon of the algorithmic applications of the Graph Minors theorem of Robertson and Seymour. The proposed logic can be seen as a general framework to capitalize on the potential of the irrelevant vertex technique. It gives a way to deal with problem instances of unbounded treewidth, for which Courcelle's theorem does not apply. The proof of our meta-theorem combines novel combinatorial results related to the Flat Wall theorem along with elements of the proof of Courcelle's theorem and Gaifman's theorem. We finally prove extensions where the target property is expressible in FOL+DP, i.e., the enhancement of FOL with disjoint-paths predicates.

In general, a graph modification problem is defined by a graph modification operation $\boxtimes$ and a target graph property ${\cal P}$. Typically, the modification operation $\boxtimes$ may be vertex removal}, edge removal}, edge contraction}, or edge addition and the question is, given a graph $G$ and an integer $k$, whether it is possible to transform $G$ to a graph in ${\cal P}$ after applying $k$ times the operation $\boxtimes$ on $G$. This problem has been extensively studied for particilar instantiations of $\boxtimes$ and ${\cal P}$. In this paper we consider the general property ${\cal P}_{{\phi}}$ of being planar and, moreover, being a model of some First-Order Logic sentence ${\phi}$ (an FOL-sentence). We call the corresponding meta-problem Graph $\boxtimes$-Modification to Planarity and ${\phi}$ and prove the following algorithmic meta-theorem: there exists a function $f:\Bbb{N}^{2}\to\Bbb{N}$ such that, for every $\boxtimes$ and every FOL sentence ${\phi}$, the Graph $\boxtimes$-Modification to Planarity and ${\phi}$ is solvable in $f(k,|{\phi}|)\cdot n^2$ time. The proof constitutes a hybrid of two different classic techniques in graph algorithms. The first is the irrelevant vertex technique that is typically used in the context of Graph Minors and deals with properties such as planarity or surface-embeddability (that are not FOL-expressible) and the second is the use of Gaifman's Locality Theorem that is the theoretical base for the meta-algorithmic study of FOL-expressible problems.

The {\sc Weighted} $\mathcal{F}$-\textsc{Vertex Deletion} for a class ${\cal F}$ of graphs asks, weighted graph $G$, for a minimum weight vertex set $S$ such that $G-S\in{\cal F}.$ The case when ${\cal F}$ is minor-closed and excludes some graph as a minor has received particular attention but a constant-factor approximation remained elusive for \textsc{Weighted} $\mathcal{F}$-{\sc Vertex Deletion}. Only three cases of minor-closed ${\cal F}$ are known to admit constant-factor approximations, namely \textsc{Vertex Cover}, \textsc{Feedback Vertex Set} and \textsc{Diamond Hitting Set}. We study the problem for the class ${\cal F}$ of $\theta_c$-minor-free graphs, under the equivalent setting of the \textsc{Weighted $c$-Bond Cover} problem, and present a constant-factor approximation algorithm using the primal-dual method. For this, we leverage a structure theorem implicit in [Joret et al., SIDMA'14] which states the following: any graph $G$ containing a $\theta_c$-minor-model either contains a large two-terminal {\sl protrusion}, or contains a constant-size $\theta_c$-minor-model, or a collection of pairwise disjoint {\sl constant-sized} connected sets that can be contracted simultaneously to yield a dense graph. In the first case, we tame the graph by replacing the protrusion with a special-purpose weighted gadget. For the second and third case, we provide a weighting scheme which guarantees a local approximation ratio. Besides making an important step in the quest of (dis)proving a constant-factor approximation for \textsc{Weighted} $\mathcal{F}$-\textsc{Vertex Deletion}, our result may be useful as a template for algorithms for other minor-closed families.

The elimination distance to some target graph property P is a general graph modification parameter introduced by Bulian and Dawar. We initiate the study of elimination distances to graph properties expressible in first-order logic. We delimit the problem's fixed-parameter tractability by identifying sufficient and necessary conditions on the structure of prefixes of first-order logic formulas. Our main result is the following meta-theorem: for every graph property P expressible by a first order-logic formula \phi\in \Sigma_3, that is, of the form \phi=\exists x_1\exists x_2\cdots \exists x_r \forall y_1\forall y_2\cdots \forall y_s \exists z_1\exists z_2\cdots \exists z_t \psi, where \psi is a quantifier-free first-order formula, checking whether the elimination distance of a graph to P does not exceed k, is fixed-parameter tractable parameterized by k. Properties of graphs expressible by formulas from \Sigma_3 include being of bounded degree, excluding a forbidden subgraph, or containing a bounded dominating set. We complement this theorem by showing that such a general statement does not hold for formulas with even slightly more expressive prefix structure: there are formulas \phi\in \Pi_3, for which computing elimination distance is W[2]-hard.

For a finite collection of graphs ${\cal F}$, the ${\cal F}$-M-DELETION problem consists in, given a graph $G$ and an integer $k$, decide whether there exists $S \subseteq V(G)$ with $|S| \leq k$ such that $G \setminus S$ does not contain any of the graphs in ${\cal F}$ as a minor. We are interested in the parameterized complexity of ${\cal F}$-M-DELETION when the parameter is the treewidth of $G$, denoted by $tw$. Our objective is to determine, for a fixed ${\cal F}$, the smallest function $f_{{\cal F}}$ such that ${\cal F}$-M-DELETION can be solved in time $f_{{\cal F}}(tw) \cdot n^{O(1)}$ on $n$-vertex graphs. We provide lower bounds under the ETH on $f_{{\cal F}}$ for several collections ${\cal F}$. We first prove that for any ${\cal F}$ containing connected graphs of size at least two, $f_{{\cal F}}(tw)= 2^{\Omega(tw)}$, even if the input graph $G$ is planar. Our main contribution consists of superexponential lower bounds for a number of collections ${\cal F}$, inspired by a reduction of Bonnet et al.~[IPEC, 2017]. In particular, we prove that when ${\cal F}$ contains a single connected graph $H$ that is either $P_5$ or is not a minor of the banner (that is, the graph consisting of a $C_4$ plus a pendent edge), then $f_{{\cal F}}(tw)= 2^{\Omega(tw \cdot \log tw)}$. This is the third of a series of articles on this topic, and the results given here together with other ones allow us, in particular, to provide a tight dichotomy on the complexity of $\{H\}$-M-DELETION, in terms of $H$, when $H$ is connected., Comment: 41 pages, 20 figures. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1907.04442, arXiv:1704.07284

For a finite collection of graphs ${\cal F}$, the ${\cal F}$-M-DELETION (resp. ${\cal F}$-TM-DELETION) problem consists in, given a graph $G$ and an integer $k$, decide whether there exists $S \subseteq V(G)$ with $|S| \leq k$ such that $G \setminus S$ does not contain any of the graphs in ${\cal F}$ as a minor (resp. topological minor). We are interested in the parameterized complexity of both problems when the parameter is the treewidth of $G$, denoted by $tw$, and specifically in the cases where ${\cal F}$ contains a single connected planar graph $H$. We present algorithms running in time $2^{O(tw)} \cdot n^{O(1)}$, called single-exponential, when $H$ is either $P_3$, $P_4$, $C_4$, the paw, the chair, and the banner for both $\{H\}$-M-DELETION and $\{H\}$-TM-DELETION, and when $H=K_{1,i}$, with $i \geq 1$, for $\{H\}$-TM-DELETION. Some of these algorithms use the rank-based approach introduced by Bodlaender et al. [Inform Comput, 2015]. This is the second of a series of articles on this topic, and the results given here together with other ones allow us, in particular, to provide a tight dichotomy on the complexity of $\{H\}$-M-DELETION in terms of $H$., Comment: 36 pages, 2 figures

We introduce the block elimination distance as a measure of how close a graph is to some particular graph class. Formally, given a graph class ${\cal G}$, the class ${\cal B}({\cal G})$ contains all graphs whose blocks belong to ${\cal G}$ and the class ${\cal A}({\cal G})$ contains all graphs where the removal of a vertex creates a graph in ${\cal G}$. Given a hereditary graph class ${\cal G}$, we recursively define ${\cal G}^{(k)}$ so that ${\cal G}^{(0)}={\cal B}({\cal G})$ and, if $k\geq 1$, ${\cal G}^{(k)}={\cal B}({\cal A}({\cal G}^{(k-1)}))$. The block elimination distance of a graph $G$ to a graph class ${\cal G}$ is the minimum $k$ such that $G\in{\cal G}^{(k)}$ and can be seen as an analog of the elimination distance parameter, with the difference that connectivity is now replaced by biconnectivity. We show that, for every non-trivial hereditary class ${\cal G}$, the problem of deciding whether $G\in{\cal G}^{(k)}$ is NP-complete. We focus on the case where ${\cal G}$ is minor-closed and we study the minor obstruction set of ${\cal G}^{(k)}$. We prove that the size of the obstructions of ${\cal G}^{(k)}$ is upper bounded by some explicit function of $k$ and the maximum size of a minor obstruction of ${\cal G}$. This implies that the problem of deciding whether $G\in{\cal G}^{(k)}$ is constructively fixed parameter tractable, when parameterized by $k$. Our results are based on a structural characterization of the obstructions of ${\cal B}({\cal G})$, relatively to the obstructions of ${\cal G}$. We give two graph operations that generate members of ${\cal G}^{(k)}$ from members of ${\cal G}^{(k-1)}$ and we prove that this set of operations is complete for the class ${\cal O}$ of outerplanar graphs. This yields the identification of all members ${\cal O}\cap{\cal G}^{(k)}$, for every $k\in\mathbb{N}$ and every non-trivial minor-closed graph class ${\cal G}$.

Let $\mathcal{G}$ be a minor-closed graph class. We say that a graph $G$ is a $k$-apex of $\mathcal{G}$ if $G$ contains a set $S$ of at most $k$ vertices such that $G\setminus S$ belongs to $\mathcal{G}.$ We denote by $\mathcal{A}_k (\mathcal{G})$ the set of all graphs that are $k$-apices of $\mathcal{G}.$ We prove that every graph in the obstruction set of $\mathcal{A}_k (\mathcal{G}),$ i.e., the minor-minimal set of graphs not belonging to $\mathcal{A}_k (\mathcal{G}),$ has size at most $2^{2^{2^{2^{\mathsf{poly}(k)}}}},$ where $\mathsf{poly}$ is a polynomial function whose degree depends on the size of the minor-obstructions of $\mathcal{G}.$ This bound drops to $2^{2^{\mathsf{poly}(k)}}$ when $\mathcal{G}$ excludes some apex graph as a minor., Comment: 48 pages and 12 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2004.12692

We introduce the rendezvous game with adversaries. In this game, two players, {\sl Facilitator} and {\sl Disruptor}, play against each other on a graph. Facilitator has two agents, and Disruptor has a team of $k$ agents located in some vertices of the graph. They take turns in moving their agents to adjacent vertices (or staying). Facilitator wins if his agents meet in some vertex of the graph. The goal of Disruptor is to prevent the rendezvous of Facilitator's agents. Our interest is to decide whether Facilitator can win. It appears that, in general, the problem is PSPACE-hard and, when parameterized by $k$, co-W[2]-hard. Moreover, even the game's variant where we ask whether Facilitator can ensure the meeting of his agents within $\tau$ steps is co-NP-complete already for $\tau=2$. On the other hand, for chordal and $P_5$-free graphs, we prove that the problem is solvable in polynomial time. These algorithms exploit an interesting relation of the game and minimum vertex cuts in certain graph classes. Finally, we show that the problem is fixed-parameter tractable parameterized by both the graph's neighborhood diversity and $\tau$.

We introduce a supporting combinatorial framework for the Flat Wall Theorem. In particular, we suggest two variants of the theorem and we introduce a new, more versatile, concept of wall homogeneity as well as the notion of regularity in flat walls. All proposed concepts and results aim at facilitating the use of the irrelevant vertex technique in future algorithmic applications., Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2004.12692

The graph parameter of pathwidth can be seen as a measure of the topological resemblance of a graph to a path. A popular definition of pathwidth is given in terms of node search where we are given a system of tunnels (represented by a graph) that is contaminated by some infectious substance and we are looking for a search strategy that, at each step, either places a searcher on a vertex or removes a searcher from a vertex and where an edge is cleaned when both endpoints are simultaneously occupied by searchers. It was proved that the minimum number of searchers required for a successful cleaning strategy is equal to the pathwidth of the graph plus one. Two desired characteristics for a cleaning strategy is to be monotone (no recontamination occurs) and connected (clean territories always remain connected). Under these two demands, the number of searchers is equivalent to a variant of pathwidth called connected pathwidth. We prove that connected pathwidth is fixed parameter tractable, in particular we design a 2^O(k²)⋅n time algorithm that checks whether the connected pathwidth of G is at most k. This resolves an open question by [Dereniowski, Osula, and Rzążewski, Finding small-width connected path-decompositions in polynomial time. Theor. Comput. Sci., 794:85–100, 2019]. For our algorithm, we enrich the typical sequence technique that is able to deal with the connectivity demand. Typical sequences have been introduced in [Bodlaender and Kloks. Efficient and constructive algorithms for the pathwidth and treewidth of graphs. J. Algorithms, 21(2):358–402, 1996] for the design of linear parameterized algorithms for treewidth and pathwidth. While this technique has been later applied to other parameters, none of its advancements was able to deal with the connectivity demand, as it is a "global" demand that concerns an unbounded number of parts of the graph of unbounded size. The proposed extension is based on an encoding of the connectivity property that is quite versat

Let ${\cal G}$ be a minor-closed graph class. We say that a graph $G$ is a $k$-apex of ${\cal G}$ if $G$ contains a set $S$ of at most $k$ vertices such that $G\setminus S$ belongs to ${\cal G}$. We denote by ${\cal A}_k ({\cal G})$ the set of all graphs that are $k$-apices of ${\cal G}.$ In the first paper of this series we obtained upper bounds on the size of the graphs in the minor-obstruction set of ${\cal A}_k ({\cal G})$, i.e., the minor-minimal set of graphs not belonging to ${\cal A}_k ({\cal G}).$ In this article we provide an algorithm that, given a graph $G$ on $n$ vertices, runs in $2^{{\sf poly}(k)}\cdot n^3$-time and either returns a set $S$ certifying that $G \in {\cal A}_k ({\cal G})$, or reports that $G \notin {\cal A}_k ({\cal G})$. Here ${\sf poly}$ is a polynomial function whose degree depends on the maximum size of a minor-obstruction of ${\cal G}.$ In the special case where ${\cal G}$ excludes some apex graph as a minor, we give an alternative algorithm running in $2^{{\sf poly}(k)}\cdot n^2$-time., Comment: 37 pages, 3 figures

The graph parameter of pathwidth can be seen as a measure of the topological resemblance of a graph to a path. A popular definition of pathwidth is given in terms of node search where we are given a system of tunnels that is contaminated by some infectious substance and we are looking for a search strategy that, at each step, either places a searcher on a vertex or removes a searcher from a vertex and where an edge is cleaned when both endpoints are simultaneously occupied by searchers. It was proved that the minimum number of searchers required for a successful cleaning strategy is equal to the pathwidth of the graph plus one. Two desired characteristics for a cleaning strategy is to be monotone (no recontamination occurs) and connected (clean territories always remain connected). Under these two demands, the number of searchers is equivalent to a variant of pathwidth called {\em connected pathwidth}. We prove that connected pathwidth is fixed parameter tractable, in particular we design a $2^{O(k^2)}\cdot n$ time algorithm that checks whether the connected pathwidth of $G$ is at most $k.$ This resolves an open question by [Dereniowski, Osula, and Rz{\k{a}}{\.{z}}ewski, Finding small-width connected path-decompositions in polynomial time. Theor. Comput. Sci., 794:85-100, 2019]. For our algorithm, we enrich the typical sequence technique that is able to deal with the connectivity demand. Typical sequences have been introduced in [Bodlaender and Kloks. Efficient and constructive algorithms for the pathwidth and treewidth of graphs. J. Algorithms, 21(2):358-402, 1996] for the design of linear parameterized algorithms for treewidth and pathwidth. The proposed extension is based on an encoding of the connectivity property that is quite versatile and may be adapted so to deliver linear parameterized algorithms for the connected variants of other width parameters as well.

Neural networks are the pinnacle of Artificial Intelligence, as in recent years we witnessed many novel architectures, learning and optimization techniques for deep learning. Capitalizing on the fact that neural networks inherently constitute multipartite graphs among neuron layers, we aim to analyze directly their structure to extract meaningful information that can improve the learning process. To our knowledge graph mining techniques for enhancing learning in neural networks have not been thoroughly investigated. In this paper we propose an adapted version of the k-core structure for the complete weighted multipartite graph extracted from a deep learning architecture. As a multipartite graph is a combination of bipartite graphs, that are in turn the incidence graphs of hypergraphs, we design k-hypercore decomposition, the hypergraph analogue of k-core degeneracy. We applied k-hypercore to several neural network architectures, more specifically to convolutional neural networks and multilayer perceptrons for image recognition tasks after a very short pretraining. Then we used the information provided by the hypercore numbers of the neurons to re-initialize the weights of the neural network, thus biasing the gradient optimization scheme. Extensive experiments proved that k-hypercore outperforms the state-of-the-art initialization methods.

We consider a cops and robber game where the cops are blocking edges of a graph, while the robber occupies its vertices. At each round of the game, the cops choose some set of edges to block and right after the robber is obliged to move to another vertex traversing at most $s$ unblocked edges ($s$ can be seen as the speed of the robber). Both parts have complete knowledge of the opponent's moves and the cops win when they occupy all edges incident to the robbers position. We introduce the capture cost on $G$ against a robber of speed $s$. This defines a hierarchy of invariants, namely $\delta^{1}_{\rm e},\delta^{2}_{\rm e},\ldots,\delta^{\infty}_{\rm e}$, where $\delta^{\infty}_{\rm e}$ is an edge-analogue of the admissibility graph invariant, namely the {\em edge-admissibility} of a graph. We prove that the problem asking wether $\delta^{s}_{\rm e}(G)\leq k$, is polynomially solvable when $s\in \{1,2,\infty\}$ while, otherwise, it is NP-complete. Our main result is a structural theorem for graphs of bounded edge-admissibility. We prove that every graph of edge-admissibility at most $k$ can be constructed using $(\leq k)$-edge-sums, starting from graphs whose all vertices, except possibly from one, have degree at most $k$. Our structural result is approximately tight in the sense that graphs generated by this construction always have edge-admissibility at most $2k-1$. Our proofs are based on a precise structural characterization of the graphs that do not contain $\theta_{r}$ as an immersion, where $\theta_{r}$ is the graph on two vertices and $r$ parallel edges., Comment: The paper has appeared as "Stratis Limnios, Christophe Paul, Joanny Perret, Dimitrios M. Thilikos: Edge degeneracy: Algorithmic and structural results. Theor. Comput. Sci. 839: 164-175 (2020)". This is a new version where a typo has been corrected. In particular, "$1,2,3$" is now "$1,2$" and "$\Bbb{N}_{\geq 4}$" is now "$\Bbb{N}_{\geq 3}$"

A replacement action is a function L that maps each k-vertex labeled graph to another k-vertex graph. We consider a general family of graph modification problems, called L-Replacement to C, where the input is a graph G and the question is whether it is possible to replace in G some k-vertex subgraph H of it by L(H) so that the new graph belongs to the graph class C. L-Replacement to C can simulate several modification operations such as edge addition, edge removal, edge editing, and diverse completion and superposition operations. In this paper, we prove that for any action L, if C is the class of planar graphs, there is an algorithm that solves L-Replacement to C in O(|G|^{2}) steps. We also present several applications of our approach to related problems.

The notion of tree-cut width has been introduced by Wollan in [The structure of graphs not admitting a fixed immersion, Journal of Combinatorial Theory, Series B, 110:47 - 66, 2015]. It is defined via tree-cut decompositions, which are tree-like decompositions that highlight small (edge) cuts in a graph. In that sense, tree-cut decompositions can be seen as an edge-version of tree-decompositions and have algorithmic applications on problems that remain intractable on graphs of bounded treewidth. In this paper, we prove that every graph admits an optimal tree-cut decomposition that satisfies a certain Menger-like condition similar to that of the lean tree decompositions of Thomas [A Menger-like property of tree-width: The finite case, Journal of Combinatorial Theory, Series B, 48(1):67 - 76, 1990]. This allows us to give, for every k in N, an upper-bound on the number immersion-minimal graphs of tree-cut width k. Our results imply the constructive existence of a linear FPT-algorithm for tree-cut width.

We define a general variant of the graph clustering problem where the criterion of density for the clusters is (high) connectivity. In Clustering to Given Connectivities, we are given an n-vertex graph G, an integer k, and a sequence Lambda= of positive integers and we ask whether it is possible to remove at most k edges from G such that the resulting connected components are exactly t and their corresponding edge connectivities are lower-bounded by the numbers in Lambda. We prove that this problem, parameterized by k, is fixed parameter tractable, i.e., can be solved by an f(k)* n^{O(1)}-step algorithm, for some function f that depends only on the parameter k. Our algorithm uses the recursive understanding technique that is especially adapted so to deal with the fact that we do not impose any restriction to the connectivity demands in Lambda.

The node search game against a lazy (or, respectively, agile) invisible robber has been introduced as a search-game analogue of the treewidth parameter (and, respectively, pathwidth). In the connected variants of the above two games, we additionally demand that, at each moment of the search, the clean territories are connected. The connected search game against an agile and invisible robber has been extensively examined. The monotone variant (where we also demand that the clean territories are progressively increasing) of this game, corresponds to the graph parameter of connected pathwidth. It is known that the price of connectivty to search for an agile robber is bounded by 2, that is the connected pathwidth of a graph is at most twice (plus some constant) its pathwidth. In this paper, we investigate the connected search game against a lazy robber. A lazy robber moves only when the searchers' strategy threatens the location that he currently occupies. We introduce two alternative graph-theoretic formulations of this game, one in terms of connected tree decompositions, and one in terms of (connected) layouts, leading to the graph parameter of connected treewidth. We observe that connected treewidth parameter is closed under contractions and prove that for every k >= 2, the set of contraction obstructions of the class of graphs with connected treewidth at most k is infinite. Our main result is a complete characterization of the obstruction set for k=2. One may observe that, so far, only a few complete obstruction sets are explicitly known for contraction closed graph classes. We finally show that, in contrast to the agile robber game, the price of connectivity is unbounded.

For a fixed graph H, we are interested in the parameterized complexity of the following problem, called {H}-M-Deletion, parameterized by the treewidth tw of the input graph: given an n-vertex graph G and an integer k, decide whether there exists S subseteq V(G) with |S| <= k such that G setminus S does not contain H as a minor. In previous work [IPEC, 2017] we proved that if H is planar and connected, then the problem cannot be solved in time 2^{o(tw)} * n^{O(1)} under the ETH, and can be solved in time 2^{O(tw * log tw)} * n^{O(1)}. In this article we manage to classify the optimal asymptotic complexity of {H}-M-Deletion when H is a connected planar graph on at most 5 vertices. Out of the 29 possibilities (discarding the trivial case H = K_1), we prove that 9 of them are solvable in time 2^{Theta (tw)} * n^{O(1)}, and that the other 20 ones are solvable in time 2^{Theta (tw * log tw)} * n^{O(1)}. Namely, we prove that K_4 and the diamond are the only graphs on at most 4 vertices for which the problem is solvable in time 2^{Theta (tw * log tw)} * n^{O(1)}, and that the chair and the banner are the only graphs on 5 vertices for which the problem is solvable in time 2^{Theta (tw)} * n^{O(1)}. For the version of the problem where H is forbidden as a topological minor, the case H = K_{1,4} can be solved in time 2^{Theta (tw)} * n^{O(1)}. This exhibits, to the best of our knowledge, the first difference between the computational complexity of both problems.

We define a general variant of the graph clustering problem where the criterion of density for the clusters is (high) connectivity. In Clustering to Given Connectivities, we are given an n-vertex graph G, an integer k, and a sequence Lambda= of positive integers and we ask whether it is possible to remove at most k edges from G such that the resulting connected components are exactly t and their corresponding edge connectivities are lower-bounded by the numbers in Lambda. We prove that this problem, parameterized by k, is fixed parameter tractable, i.e., can be solved by an f(k)* n^{O(1)}-step algorithm, for some function f that depends only on the parameter k. Our algorithm uses the recursive understanding technique that is especially adapted so to deal with the fact that we do not impose any restriction to the connectivity demands in Lambda.

The node search game against a lazy (or, respectively, agile) invisible robber has been introduced as a search-game analogue of the treewidth parameter (and, respectively, pathwidth). In the connected variants of the above two games, we additionally demand that, at each moment of the search, the clean territories are connected. The connected search game against an agile and invisible robber has been extensively examined. The monotone variant (where we also demand that the clean territories are progressively increasing) of this game, corresponds to the graph parameter of connected pathwidth. It is known that the price of connectivty to search for an agile robber is bounded by 2, that is the connected pathwidth of a graph is at most twice (plus some constant) its pathwidth. In this paper, we investigate the connected search game against a lazy robber. A lazy robber moves only when the searchers' strategy threatens the location that he currently occupies. We introduce two alternative graph-theoretic formulations of this game, one in terms of connected tree decompositions, and one in terms of (connected) layouts, leading to the graph parameter of connected treewidth. We observe that connected treewidth parameter is closed under contractions and prove that for every k >= 2, the set of contraction obstructions of the class of graphs with connected treewidth at most k is infinite. Our main result is a complete characterization of the obstruction set for k=2. One may observe that, so far, only a few complete obstruction sets are explicitly known for contraction closed graph classes. We finally show that, in contrast to the agile robber game, the price of connectivity is unbounded.

For a fixed graph H, we are interested in the parameterized complexity of the following problem, called {H}-M-Deletion, parameterized by the treewidth tw of the input graph: given an n-vertex graph G and an integer k, decide whether there exists S subseteq V(G) with |S| <= k such that G setminus S does not contain H as a minor. In previous work [IPEC, 2017] we proved that if H is planar and connected, then the problem cannot be solved in time 2^{o(tw)} * n^{O(1)} under the ETH, and can be solved in time 2^{O(tw * log tw)} * n^{O(1)}. In this article we manage to classify the optimal asymptotic complexity of {H}-M-Deletion when H is a connected planar graph on at most 5 vertices. Out of the 29 possibilities (discarding the trivial case H = K_1), we prove that 9 of them are solvable in time 2^{Theta (tw)} * n^{O(1)}, and that the other 20 ones are solvable in time 2^{Theta (tw * log tw)} * n^{O(1)}. Namely, we prove that K_4 and the diamond are the only graphs on at most 4 vertices for which the problem is solvable in time 2^{Theta (tw * log tw)} * n^{O(1)}, and that the chair and the banner are the only graphs on 5 vertices for which the problem is solvable in time 2^{Theta (tw)} * n^{O(1)}. For the version of the problem where H is forbidden as a topological minor, the case H = K_{1,4} can be solved in time 2^{Theta (tw)} * n^{O(1)}. This exhibits, to the best of our knowledge, the first difference between the computational complexity of both problems.

The notion of tree-cut width has been introduced by Wollan in [The structure of graphs not admitting a fixed immersion, Journal of Combinatorial Theory, Series B, 110:47 - 66, 2015]. It is defined via tree-cut decompositions, which are tree-like decompositions that highlight small (edge) cuts in a graph. In that sense, tree-cut decompositions can be seen as an edge-version of tree-decompositions and have algorithmic applications on problems that remain intractable on graphs of bounded treewidth. In this paper, we prove that every graph admits an optimal tree-cut decomposition that satisfies a certain Menger-like condition similar to that of the lean tree decompositions of Thomas [A Menger-like property of tree-width: The finite case, Journal of Combinatorial Theory, Series B, 48(1):67 - 76, 1990]. This allows us to give, for every k in N, an upper-bound on the number immersion-minimal graphs of tree-cut width k. Our results imply the constructive existence of a linear FPT-algorithm for tree-cut width.