Three overlapping squares: the general case characterized \& applications (Q2355701)

A famous and useful result in combinatorics on words is the Three Square Lemma [\textit{M. Crochemore} and \textit{W. Rytter}, Algorithmica 13, No. 5, 405--425 (1995; Zbl 0849.68044)]: If \(u^2\) is an irreducible (primitive) proper prefix of \(v^2\), \(v\) not a power of \(u\), and \(v^2\) is a proper prefix of \(w^2\), then the length of \(w\) is at least the length of \(u\) plus the length of \(v\). That is, if three different squares start at the same position, there is a strong constraint on the length of the longest one. Several generalizations of this lemma have been investigated since then. This paper characterizes the general case of three overlapping squares, no two constrained to begin at the same position.