On a problem related to a non-squeezing theorem (Q1767716)

Let \(X\) and \(Y\) be topological spaces. A function \(f: X\to Y\) is linearly Darboux if \(f(C)\) is connected for each path connected subset \(C\) of \(X\). Let \(d\) be the Euclidean metric on \(\mathbb{R}^n\), and, for each non-empty compact set \(X\subset\mathbb{R}^n\), let \(a_x= \sup\{d(x, \text{Fr}(X)):x\in X\}\). The authors solve a problem of \textit{W. Kulpa} [Am. Math. Mon. 104, No. 6, 545--550 (1997; Zbl 0891.47040)] by proving the following Theorem: (i) Let \(f:X\to \mathbb{R}\) be a linearly Darboux function from a non-empty compact subset \(X\subset\mathbb{R}^n\) such that \(\text{diam\,}f^{-1}(f(x))< 2a_X\) for every \(x\in\text{Fr}(X)\). Then \(\text{Int\,}f(X)\neq\varnothing\). (ii) For every \(n> 1\) there is a continuous map \(f: X\to\mathbb{R}^n\) from a compact subset \(X\subset\mathbb{R}^n\) with non-empty interior such that \(\text{Int\,}f(X)=\varnothing\) and \(\text{diam\,}f^{-1}(f(x))< 2a_X\) for every \(x\in X\). The authors also derive the following Theorem: Let \(f:X\to \mathbb{R}^2\) be a continuous function from a non-empty compact subset \(X\subset\mathbb{R}^2\) such that \(\text{diam\,}f^{-1}(f(x))< \sqrt{3} a_X\) for every \(x\in \text{Fr}(X)\). Then \(\text{Int\,}f(X)\neq\varnothing\).