On a conjecture regarding permutations which destroy arithmetic progressions (Q1640216)

Summary: \textit{P. Hegarty} [Electron. J. Comb. 11, No. 1, Research paper R39, 21 p. (2004; Zbl 1128.11007)] conjectured for \(n\ne 2, 3, 5, 7\) that \(\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}\) has a permutation which destroys all arithmetic progressions \(\bmod n\). For \(n\ge n_0\), \textit{P. Hegarty} and \textit{A. Martinsson} [Electron. J. Comb. 22, No. 4, Research Paper P4.39, 14 p. (2015; Zbl 1329.05008)] demonstrated that \(\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}\) has a permutation destroying arithmetic progressions. However \(n_0\approx 1.4\times 10^{14}\) and thus resolving the conjecture in full remained out of reach of any computational techniques. Using constructions modeled after those used by \textit{N. D. Elkies} and \textit{A. A. Swaminathan} [Electron. J. Comb. 24, No. 1, Research Paper P1.20, 12 p. (2017; Zbl 1355.05007)] for the case of \(\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}\) with \(p\) being prime, this paper establishes the conjecture in full. Furthermore, our results are completely independent of the proof given by Hegarty and Martinsson [loc. cit].