On regular graphs and Hamiltonian circuits, including answers to some questions of Joseph Zaks

Abstract A graph is called l-ply Hamiltonian if it admits l edge-disjoint Hamiltonian circuits. The following results are obtained: (1) When n ≥ 3 and 0 ≤ 2l ≤ n there exists an n-connected n-regular graph that is exactly l-ply Hamiltonian. (2) There exist 5-connected 5-regular planar graphs that are not doubly (i.e. 2-ply) Hamiltonian, one with only 132 vertices and another with only three types of face, namely 3-, 4- and 12-gons. (3) There exist 3-connected 5-regular planar graphs, one that is non-Hamiltonian and has only 76 vertices and another that has no Hamiltonian paths and has only 128 vertices. (4) There exist 5-edge-connected 5-regular planar graphs, one that is non-Hamiltonian and has only 176 vertices and another that has no Hamiltonian paths and has only 512 vertices. Result (1) was known in the special cases l = [ n 2 ] (an old result) and l = 0 (due to G. H. J. Meredith, 1973 ). The special case l = 1 provides a negative answer to question 4 in a recent paper by Joseph Zaks and implies Corollary 1 to Zaks' Theorem 1. Results (2) and (3) involve graphs with considerably fewer vertices (and, in one case, fewer types of face) than Zaks' corresponding graphs and provide partial answers to his questions 1 and 3. Result (4) involves graphs that satisfy a stronger condition than those of Zaks but still have fewer vertices.