No label defined (Q3972906)

[For the entire collection see Zbl 0715.00010.] This chapter introduces distinct representatives and then develops and proves Ryser's and Evans' theorems on embedding Latin rectangles and squares. Next, Cruse's theorems on commutative Latin rectangles and squares are proven giving new proofs of the theorems of the author on the embedding of partial commutative and partial idempotent commutative Latin squares into complete squares of the same type. Cruse's results give the best possible bounds. The author next explores the extremely difficult problem of embedding a partial idempotent Latin squares showing that a partial \(n\times n\) idempotent Latin square can be embedded in a partial \(t\times t\) idempotent Latin square for all \(t\geq 2n+1\). Embeddings of conjugate quasigroups, semisymmetric, and totally symmetric quasigroups, Mendelsohn and Steiner triple systems is studied in depth. A very useful summary table of these results is given. The author now gives a careful and complete account of the proof of the Evans conjecture that `` an \(n\times n\) partial Latin square which has \(n-1\) or fewer cells occupied can be completed to a Latin square of order \(n\)''. He gives Smetaniuk's proof and gives an overview of the related work by a number of other authors. A good bibliography is included.