The quantum adversary method is one of the most successful techniques for
proving lower bounds on quantum query complexity. It gives optimal lower bounds
for many problems, has application to classical complexity in formula size
lower bounds, and is versatile with equivalent formulations in terms of weight
schemes, eigenvalues, and Kolmogorov complexity. All these formulations rely on
the principle that if an algorithm successfully computes a function then, in
particular, it is able to distinguish between inputs which map to different
values.
We present a stronger version of the adversary method which goes beyond this
principle to make explicit use of the stronger condition that the algorithm
actually computes the function. This new method, which we call ADV+-, has all
the advantages of the old: it is a lower bound on bounded-error quantum query
complexity, its square is a lower bound on formula size, and it behaves well
with respect to function composition. Moreover ADV+- is always at least as
large as the adversary method ADV, and we show an example of a monotone
function for which ADV+-(f)=Omega(ADV(f)^1.098). We also give examples showing
that ADV+- does not face limitations of ADV like the certificate complexity
barrier and the property testing barrier.Comment: 29 pages, v2: added automorphism principle, extended to non-boolean
functions, simplified examples, added matching upper bound for AD