Jaeger's Higman-Sims state model and the \(B_ 2\) spider (Q1372657)

State models are one of the two main classes of objects which define quantum topological invariants for links (the other class of objects being skein relations). One of the main examples of a state model is a checkerboard state model. One remarkable checkerboard model has been discovered by \textit{F. Jaeger} [Geom. Dedicata 44, No. 1, 23-52 (1992; Zbl 0773.57005)]; it is based on the Higman-Sims graph. In particular, this model produces the value of the Kauffman polynomial at \(Q=\tau\), the golden ratio, and \(d=-1\). In quantum group terms, this corresponds to the \(q=\tau^{-2}\) point of the quantum group \(U_q(sp(4))\). In this paper, the author presents a simple argument that the state model has the desired properties, using the combinatorial \(B_2\) spider, which is essentially a skein type of trivalent planar graphs with unoriented edges of two types, which the author has studied in [Commun. Math. Phys. 180, No. 1, 109-151 (1996; Zbl 0870.17005)].