Barnette Conjecture Reportedly Proven by openai/math, Leaving Researchers with Mixed Feelings
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The Barnette conjecture has reportedly been proven in issue 180 of the openai/math project. Jake Boggan had moved to Budapest to research graph theory, spending 24 years off and on, and thousands of hours, on the conjecture. According to Simon Willison on 2026-10-07, upon hearing the news Boggan had mixed feelings, describing the emotion as being 'as sad as hearing that an ex-girlfriend had suddenly died in a car crash,' and speculated that many others felt similarly conflicted that night.
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- Simon WillisonQuoting Jake Boggan
Jake Boggan, who once moved to Budapest to research graph theory, said he invested 24 years and thousands of hours, on and off, into the Barnette conjecture, and felt deeply conflicted upon learning it was reportedly proven in openai/math problem 180. He described the feeling as "as sad as hearing an ex-girlfriend suddenly died in a car crash," and guessed many others would feel equally mixed tonight.