Monogamous latin squares (Q2431245)

A collection of \(k\)-maxMOLS\((n)\) is a set of \(k\) mutually orthogonal latin squares (MOLS) of order \(n\) that are not contained in any set of \(k+1\) MOLS. In the present paper the authors show that in each order \(n>6\) there exists a pair of \(2\)-maxMOLS\((n)\) except possibly when \(n=2p\) for some prime \(p\geq 11\). This is a significant advance in this type of result. Previous results include [\textit{D. A.\ Drake}, ``Maximal sets of latin squares and partial transversals'', J. Stat. Plann. Inference 1, 143--149 (1977; Zbl 0392.05014)], where it is shown that a pair of \(2\)-maxMOLS\((n)\) exists when \(n\neq 6\) is congruent to \(3\) or \(6\) modulo \(9\), and [\textit{D. A.\ Drake, G.H.J.\ van Rees} and \textit{W. D.\ Wallis}, ``Maximal sets of mutually orthogonal latin squares'', Discrete Math. 194, No.1-3, 87--94 (1999; Zbl 0930.05021)], where it is shown that a pair of \(2\)-maxMOLS\((n)\) exists when \(n=2^k-1\) and when \(n\) is congruent to \(1\) or \(7 \pmod 9\) or to \(11 \pmod{18}\). To prove their results the authors introduce the idea of a \textit{\(\Delta\)-crimped latin square}, which forces the existence of entries \(\gamma _1\) and \(\gamma _2\) such that a transversal through \(\gamma _1\) exists and that every transversal including \(\gamma _1\) must also include \(\gamma _2\). The bulk of the paper is devoted to verifying the existence of \textit{monogamous} \(\Delta\)-crimped squares (i.e., squares that form one member of a pair of \(2\)-maxMOLS\((n)\)). A key aspect of this verification is a product construction by which larger \(\Delta\)-crimped squares can be built from smaller ones.