Congruence permutable and congruence 3-permutable locally finite varieties (Q1312861)

For all undefined notions see \textit{D. Hobby} and \textit{R. McKenzie}, The structure of finite algebra (1988; Zbl 0721.08001). A variety \(\mathcal V\) is called congruence \(n\)-permutable if, for every \({\mathbf A}\in{\mathcal V}\) and all \(\alpha,\beta\in\text{Con }{\mathbf A}\), the equality \(\alpha\vee\beta=\alpha\circ_ n\beta=\beta\circ_ n\alpha\) holds where \(\alpha\circ_ n\beta=\alpha\circ\beta\circ\alpha\circ\dots\) with \(n-1\) occurrences of \(\circ\). In particular, congruence 2-permutability is just a usual congruence permutability. A tame congruence-theoretic characterization of congruence \(n\)-permutable locally finite varieties for \(n=2,3\) is given in the article. The author says that an algebra \({\mathbf A}\) satisfies the condition \(\text{HM}_ n\) if \(\beta=\rho\circ_{n-1}\rho\) whenever \(\alpha\prec\beta\) in \(\text{Con }{\mathbf A}\) and \(\rho=(T_{\alpha,\beta}\circ\alpha)\cap(\alpha\circ T_{\alpha,\beta})\), where \(T_{\alpha,\beta}=\{(x,x)\mid x\in{\mathbf A}\}\cup\{N^ 2\mid N\) is an \(\langle\alpha,\beta\rangle\)-trace\}. It is proved in the article that, for \(n=2,3\) and for a locally finite variety \({\mathcal V}\), the following are equivalent: a) \({\mathcal V}\) is \(n\)- permutable; b) for each finite \({\mathbf A}\in{\mathcal V}, {\mathbf A}\) satisfies the condition \(\text{HM}_ n\), and \({\mathbf{1}}\not\in\text{typ}\{{\mathbf A}\}\); c) for each finite \({\mathbf A}\in{\mathcal V}, {\mathbf A}\) satisfies the condition \(\text{HM}_ n\), and, for each \(\alpha\prec\beta\) in \(\text{Con }{\mathbf A}\), the \(\langle\alpha,\beta\rangle\)-minimal sets have empty tail. There are also results about congruence \(n\)-permutability, \(n=2,3\), for individual algebras. The paper is finished with an example which shows that, in a sense, there is no ``tame congruence-theoretic characterization'' of congruence \(n\)- permutable locally finite varieties for \(n\geq 4\).