An exponential lower bound for the bit pigeonhole principle in resolution over parities
Kamil Braun
cs.CC
Sep 19, 2026 · v1
cs.LO
TL;DR
An exponential DAG-like Res(⊕) size lower bound for the bit pigeonhole principle, with the main theorem and all dependencies formalized in Lean 4.
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
Proving superpolynomial size lower bounds for unrestricted DAG-like resolution over parities Res(⊕) was an open problem; prior bounds covered only tree-like, regular, or bounded-depth refutations.
Approach
An arbitrary Res(⊕) refutation with S clauses is translated into a polynomial calculus refutation of degree O(log n) using extension variables in the style of Buss, Impagliazzo, Krajíček, Pudlák, Razborov, and Sgall. A single substitution removes all extension variables, leaving a low-degree derivation from the pigeonhole axioms. A Razborov-style degree lower bound, via the homology of chessboard complexes, shows no such derivation exists. The main theorem, a general sufficient condition, and all dependencies are formalized in Lean 4 with statements linked to formal proofs.
Results
Every DAG-like Res(⊕) refutation of the bit pigeonhole principle with n+1 pigeons and n=2^ℓ holes has more than exp(n/(32768 ℓ²)) = 2^{Ω(n/log²n)} clauses for every ℓ≥32, with no restriction on regularity or depth. A general sufficient condition for Res(⊕) size lower bounds is also obtained.