An exponential lower bound for the bit pigeonhole principle in resolution over parities
Kamil Braun
cs.CC
Sep 19, 2026 · v2
cs.LO
TL;DR
The main lower-bound theorem, the general sufficient condition, and all dependencies are formalized in Lean 4, with each statement linked to its formal proof.
Abstract
Resolution over parities, $\mathrm{Res}(\oplus)$, is the characteristic-two version of resolution over linear equations: clauses are disjunctions of affine equations over $\mathbb F_2$. Superpolynomial size lower bounds were previously known only for restricted refutations: tree-like, regular, or of bounded depth. We prove that every DAG-like $\mathrm{Res} (\oplus)$ refutation of the bit pigeonhole principle with $n+1$ pigeons and $n=2^\ell$ holes has more than $\exp(n/(32768\ell^2))=2^{Ω(n/\log^2 n)}$ clauses, for every $\ell\ge32$, with no restriction on regularity or depth. The proof translates an arbitrary refutation with $S$ clauses into a polynomial calculus refutation of degree $O(\log n)$ over $O(S+n^2)$ groups of extension variables in the style of Buss, Impagliazzo, Krajicek, Pudlak, Razborov, and Sgall. One substitution then removes all extension variables at once and leaves a nonzero low-degree polynomial derived from the pigeonhole axioms alone at degree at most $n/2$; a degree lower bound in the style of Razborov, proved through the homology of chessboard complexes, shows that no such derivation exists. The argument also yields a general sufficient condition for $\mathrm{Res}(\oplus)$ size lower bounds. The main theorem, this condition, and all their dependencies are formalized in Lean 4, and every statement links to its formal proof. The proof was developed with substantial AI assistance within an open research framework described in the final section.
Problem
Superpolynomial size lower bounds for resolution over parities, Res(⊕), were known only for restricted refutations: tree-like, regular, or bounded-depth. The question is whether unrestricted DAG-like Res(⊕) refutations of the bit pigeonhole principle must be exponentially large.
Approach
An arbitrary Res(⊕) refutation with S clauses is translated into a polynomial calculus refutation of degree O(log n) over O(S+n^2) groups of extension variables, in the style of Buss, Impagliazzo, Krajicek, Pudlak, Razborov, and Sgall. A single substitution removes all extension variables at once and leaves a nonzero low-degree polynomial derived from the pigeonhole axioms alone. A Razborov-style degree lower bound, proved through the homology of chessboard complexes, rules out such a derivation. The proof was developed with substantial AI assistance and is formalized in Lean 4.
Results
Every DAG-like Res(⊕) refutation of the bit pigeonhole principle with n+1 pigeons and n=2^ℓ holes, for ℓ≥32, has more than exp(n/(32768ℓ^2)) = 2^{Ω(n/log^2 n)} clauses. The argument also gives a general sufficient condition for Res(⊕) size lower bounds, and all results are machine-checked in Lean 4.