Some difference matrix constructions and an almost completion for the existence of triplewhist tournaments TWh(upsilon)

A necessary condition for the existence of a triplewhist tournament TWh(v) is v ≡ 0 or 1 (mod 4); this condition is known to be sufficient except for v = 5, 9, 12, 13 and possibly v = 17, 57, 65, 69, 77, 85, 93, 117, 129, 153. In this paper, we remove all the possible exceptions except v = 17. This provides an almost complete solution for the more than 100 year old problem on the existence of triplewhist tournaments TWh(v). By applying frame constructions and product constructions, several new infinite classes of Z-cyclic triplewhist tournaments are also obtained. A couple of new cyclic difference matrices are also obtained.

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