Multiple $q$-zeta values as polynomials in partition multiplicities

Abstract

Writing multiple $q$-zeta values as sums over partitions, a conjecture of Bachmann, proved by Hirose, Maesaka and Watanabe by means of a recursion, says that polynomials in the parts and multiplicities can be replaced by polynomials in the multiplicities alone. We make this replacement explicit, derive from it bounds on weight and depth that make Bachmann's conjecture effective, and provide a closed formula for the Drop1 operator of Hirose, Maesaka, Seki and Watanabe.