A Linear Time Parameterized Algorithm for Node Unique Label Cover

The optimization version of the Unique Label Cover problem is at the heart of the Unique Games Conjecture which has played an important role in the proof of several tight inapproximability results. In recent years, this problem has been also studied extensively from the point of view of parameterized complexity. Cygan et al. [FOCS 2012] proved that this problem is fixed-parameter tractable (FPT) and Wahlstr\"om [SODA 2014] gave an FPT algorithm with an improved parameter dependence. Subsequently, Iwata, Wahlstr\"om and Yoshida [2014] proved that the edge version of Unique Label Cover can be solved in linear FPT-time. That is, there is an FPT algorithm whose dependence on the input-size is linear. However, such an algorithm for the node version of the problem was left as an open problem. In this paper, we resolve this question by presenting the first linear-time FPT algorithm for Node Unique Label Cover

Covering Small Independent Sets and Separators with Applications to Parameterized Algorithms

We present two new combinatorial tools for the design of parameterized algorithms. The first is a simple linear time randomized algorithm that given as input a $d$-degenerate graph $G$ and an integer $k$, outputs an independent set $Y$, such that for every independent set $X$ in $G$ of size at most $k$, the probability that $X$ is a subset of $Y$ is at least $\left({(d+1)k \choose k} \cdot k(d+1)\right)^{-1}$.The second is a new (deterministic) polynomial time graph sparsification procedure that given a graph $G$, a set $T = \{\{s_1, t_1\}, \{s_2, t_2\}, \ldots, \{s_\ell, t_\ell\}\}$ of terminal pairs and an integer $k$, returns an induced subgraph $G^\star$ of $G$ that maintains all the inclusion minimal multicuts of $G$ of size at most $k$, and does not contain any $(k+2)$-vertex connected set of size $2^{{\cal O}(k)}$. In particular, $G^\star$ excludes a clique of size $2^{{\cal O}(k)}$ as a topological minor. Put together, our new tools yield new randomized fixed parameter tractable (FPT) algorithms for Stable $s$-$t$ Separator, Stable Odd Cycle Transversal and Stable Multicut on general graphs, and for Stable Directed Feedback Vertex Set on $d$-degenerate graphs, resolving two problems left open by Marx et al. [ACM Transactions on Algorithms, 2013]. All of our algorithms can be derandomized at the cost of a small overhead in the running time.Comment: 35 page