MathDB
Good wizard VS evil sorcerer

Source: 42nd International Tournament of Towns, Junior A-Level P6 & Senior A-Level P4, Fall 2020

February 18, 2023
combinatoricsTournament of Towns

Problem Statement

There are two round tables with nn{} dwarves sitting at each table. Each dwarf has only two friends: his neighbours to the left and to the right. A good wizard wants to seat the dwarves at one round table so that each two neighbours are friends. His magic allows him to make any 2n2n pairs of dwarves into pairs of friends (the dwarves in a pair may be from the same or from different tables). However, he knows that an evil sorcerer will break nn{} of those new friendships. For which nn{} is the good wizard able to achieve his goal no matter what the evil sorcerer does?
Mikhail Svyatlovskiy