On the Coloring of Pseudoknots

Pseudodiagrams are diagrams of knots where some information about which strand goes over/under at certain crossings may be missing. Pseudoknots are equivalence classes of pseudodiagrams, with equivalence defined by a class of Reidemeister-type moves. In this paper, we introduce two natural extensions of classical knot colorability to this broader class of knot-like objects. We use these definitions to define the determinant of a pseudoknot (i.e. the pseudodeterminant) that agrees with the classical determinant for classical knots. Moreover, we extend Conway notation to pseudoknots to facilitate the investigation of families of pseudoknots and links. The general formulae for pseudodeterminants of pseudoknot families may then be used as a criterion for p-colorability of pseudoknots.Comment: 22 pages, 24 figure

Semiquandles and flat virtual knots

We introduce an algebraic structure we call semiquandles whose axioms are derived from flat Reidemeister moves. Finite semiquandles have associated counting invariants and enhanced invariants defined for flat virtual knots and links. We also introduce singular semiquandles and virtual singular semiquandles which define invariants of flat singular virtual knots and links. As an application, we use semiquandle invariants to compare two Vassiliev invariants.Comment: 14 page

Polynomial knot and link invariants from the virtual biquandle

The Alexander biquandle of a virtual knot or link is a module over a 2-variable Laurent polynomial ring which is an invariant of virtual knots and links. The elementary ideals of this module are then invariants of virtual isotopy which determine both the generalized Alexander polynomial (also known as the Sawollek polynomial) for virtual knots and the classical Alexander polynomial for classical knots. For a fixed monomial ordering $<$, the Gr\"obner bases for these ideals are computable, comparable invariants which fully determine the elementary ideals and which generalize and unify the classical and generalized Alexander polynomials. We provide examples to illustrate the usefulness of these invariants and propose questions for future work.Comment: 12 pages; version 3 includes corrected figure

A Midsummer Knot's Dream

In this paper, we introduce playing games on shadows of knots. We demonstrate two novel games, namely, To Knot or Not to Knot and Much Ado about Knotting. We also discuss winning strategies for these games on certain families of knot shadows. Finally, we suggest variations of these games for further study.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures. To appear, College Mathematics Journal