Tight Bounds for Feedback Vertex Set Parameterized by Clique-width

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Main Authors: Bojikian, Narek, Kratsch, Stefan
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Bojikian, Narek
Kratsch, Stefan
author_facet Bojikian, Narek
Kratsch, Stefan
contents We introduce a new notion of acyclicity representation in labeled graphs, and present three applications thereof. Our main result is an algorithm that, given a graph $G$ and a $k$-clique expression of $G$, in time $O(6^kn^c)$ counts modulo $2$ the number of feedback vertex sets of $G$ of each size. We achieve this through an involved subroutine for merging partial solutions at union nodes in the expression. In the usual way this results in a one-sided error Monte-Carlo algorithm for solving the decision problem in the same time. We complement these by a matching lower bound under the Strong Exponential-Time Hypothesis (SETH). This closes an open question that appeared multiple times in the literature [ESA 23, ICALP 24, IPEC 25]. We also present an algorithm that, given a graph $G$ and a tree decomposition of width $k$ of $G$, in time $O(3^kn^c)$ counts modulo $2$ the number of feedback vertex sets of $G$ of each size. This matches the known SETH-tight bound for the decision version, which was obtained using the celebrated cut-and-count technique [FOCS 11, TALG 22]. Unlike other applications of cut-and-count, which use the isolation lemma to reduce a decision problem to counting solutions modulo $2$, this bound was obtained via counting other objects, leaving the complexity of counting solutions modulo $2$ open. Finally, we present a one-sided error Monte-Carlo algorithm that, given a graph $G$ and a $k$-clique expression of $G$, in time $O(18^kn^c)$ decides the existence of a connected feedback vertex set of size $b$ in $G$. We provide a matching lower bound under SETH.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_01900
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Tight Bounds for Feedback Vertex Set Parameterized by Clique-width
Bojikian, Narek
Kratsch, Stefan
Data Structures and Algorithms
05C85
F.2
We introduce a new notion of acyclicity representation in labeled graphs, and present three applications thereof. Our main result is an algorithm that, given a graph $G$ and a $k$-clique expression of $G$, in time $O(6^kn^c)$ counts modulo $2$ the number of feedback vertex sets of $G$ of each size. We achieve this through an involved subroutine for merging partial solutions at union nodes in the expression. In the usual way this results in a one-sided error Monte-Carlo algorithm for solving the decision problem in the same time. We complement these by a matching lower bound under the Strong Exponential-Time Hypothesis (SETH). This closes an open question that appeared multiple times in the literature [ESA 23, ICALP 24, IPEC 25]. We also present an algorithm that, given a graph $G$ and a tree decomposition of width $k$ of $G$, in time $O(3^kn^c)$ counts modulo $2$ the number of feedback vertex sets of $G$ of each size. This matches the known SETH-tight bound for the decision version, which was obtained using the celebrated cut-and-count technique [FOCS 11, TALG 22]. Unlike other applications of cut-and-count, which use the isolation lemma to reduce a decision problem to counting solutions modulo $2$, this bound was obtained via counting other objects, leaving the complexity of counting solutions modulo $2$ open. Finally, we present a one-sided error Monte-Carlo algorithm that, given a graph $G$ and a $k$-clique expression of $G$, in time $O(18^kn^c)$ decides the existence of a connected feedback vertex set of size $b$ in $G$. We provide a matching lower bound under SETH.
title Tight Bounds for Feedback Vertex Set Parameterized by Clique-width
topic Data Structures and Algorithms
05C85
F.2
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.01900