Some remarks on universal graphs (Q5906404)

\textit{P. Komjáth, A. Mekler} and \textit{J. Pach} [Isr. J. Math. 64, No. 2, 158-168 (1988; Zbl 0672.05074)] claimed that there existed a universal countable \(\{C_3, C_5, C_7, \ldots , C_{2s+1}\}\)-free graph. (Such a graph contains an induced embedding of all countable \(\{C_3, C_5, C_7, \ldots , C_{2s+1}\}\)-free graphs.) The proof given, however, was incorrect. In the paper under review, the auhor provides a correct proof. In addition it is shown that there is no universal countable \(X\)-free graph, where \(X\) is the 5-vertex graph with one vertex of degree 4 and the remainder of degree 2. More generally, there is no universal countable \(H\)-free graph if \(H\) is the disjoint union of 3 or more complete \(n\)-cliques (\(n \geq 2\)) and one vertex joined to every other.