Regular words and a theorem on sandwich algebras (Q2639148)

Let \(X\) be a finite ordered alphabet. A word \(u\) is said to be regular if there exists a formal commutator \([u]=[u_1]\cdot [u_2]-[u_2][u_1]\) for which \(u\) is the highest word in the associative writing of \([u]\). Theorem: For every natural \(r\) and \(m\) there exists \(N(r,m)\) such that every word of length \(N(r,m)\) on \(r\) ordered variables \(x_1, x_2,\dots, x_r\) either contains a subword \(ax_ia\), where \(a\) is a regular word, or contains a subword \(x_jb_1x_j\cdots x_jb_mx_j\), where the \(b_k\) are regular words. Corollary: A Lie ring, generated by a finite number of sandwiches, is nilpotent. The result of this corollary was proved by \textit{E. I. Zel'manov} and \textit{A. I. Kostrikin} in [ Proc. Steklov Inst. Math. 183, 121--126 (1991); translation from Tr. Mat. Inst. Steklova 183, 106--111 (1990; Zbl 0729.17006)]. The author also notes that the analogous theorem was also proved independently by Bekelin and Ufnarovskiĭ. The proof is purely combinatorial.