Null extensions of the bicyclic semigroup \(\mathcal B\) are inflations of \(\mathcal B\). (Q2340374)

Here is considered the problem: what information can be obtained from the structure of the groupoid \(S^n\), \(n\geqslant 2\), about the structure of the groupoid \(S\) and how to construct all groupoids \(S\) such that \(S^n\) is isomorphic to a groupoid with known structure? As a partial answer it is proved, that if \(S^2\) is isomorphic to the bicyclic semigroup \(\mathcal B\) then the semigroup \(S\) is an inflation of \(\mathcal B\).