Relationship between clustering and algorithmic phase transitions in the random k-XORSAT model and its NP-complete extensions

We study the performances of stochastic heuristic search algorithms on Uniquely Extendible Constraint Satisfaction Problems with random inputs. We show that, for any heuristic preserving the Poissonian nature of the underlying instance, the (heuristic-dependent) largest ratio $\alpha_a$ of constraints per variables for which a search algorithm is likely to find solutions is smaller than the critical ratio $\alpha_d$ above which solutions are clustered and highly correlated. In addition we show that the clustering ratio can be reached when the number k of variables per constraints goes to infinity by the so-called Generalized Unit Clause heuristic.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Statistical-Mechanical Informatics, September 16-19, 2007, Kyoto, Japan; some imprecisions in the previous version have been correcte

The Satisfiability Threshold for a Seemingly Intractable Random Constraint Satisfaction Problem

We determine the exact threshold of satisfiability for random instances of a particular NP-complete constraint satisfaction problem (CSP). This is the first random CSP model for which we have determined a precise linear satisfiability threshold, and for which random instances with density near that threshold appear to be computationally difficult. More formally, it is the first random CSP model for which the satisfiability threshold is known and which shares the following characteristics with random k-SAT for k >= 3. The problem is NP-complete, the satisfiability threshold occurs when there is a linear number of clauses, and a uniformly random instance with a linear number of clauses asymptotically almost surely has exponential resolution complexity.Comment: This is the long version of a paper that will be published in the SIAM Journal on Discrete Mathematics. This long version includes an appendix and a computer program. The contents of the paper are unchanged in the latest version. The format of the arxiv submission was changed so that the computer program will appear as an ancillary file. Some comments in the computer program were update