The Curling Number Conjecture

Abstract

Given a finite nonempty sequence of integers S, by grouping adjacent terms it is always possible to write it, possibly in many ways, as S = X Y^k, where X and Y are sequences and Y is nonempty. Choose the version which maximizes the value of k: this k is the curling number of S. The Curling Number Conjecture is that if one starts with any initial sequence S, and extends it by repeatedly appending the curling number of the current sequence, the sequence will eventually reach 1. The conjecture remains open, but we will report on some numerical results and conjectures in the case when S consists of only 2's and 3's.