# Simple proof that W(3,3)=27?

I was wondering that if there exists a simple proof that the van der Warden's number W(3,3) (the smallest positive integer $n$ such that any 3-coloring of the set $\{1, 2, ..., n\}$ has a monochromatic 3-AP) equals 27. Also, it would be great if someone can present me a counterexample for $n=26$.

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The complete list of length-26 examples is:

    AABBAABCBCCACAABABBCACCBCB
AABBCAACACBBCCBBCACAACBBAA
AABCBAACACBBCCBBCACAABCBAA
AACBCAABABCCBBCCBABAACBCAA
AACCAACBCBBABAACACCBABBCBC
AACCBAABABCCBBCCBABAABCCAA
ABAABABCCBBCCBABAABCCAACAC
ABABBAACBBCBCAACCAACBCBBCA


not counting relabeling of the colors. (So there are 48 examples in all.)

I don't know of any proof that 27 is exact, other than a suitably-pruned exhaustive search.

I have source code that I wrote about 25 years ago that does the search, plus some discussion, on my blog. The code took a couple of days to run when I first wrote it, but to run it now is very quick.

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That is very interesting! Thank you very much. –  a12345 Jan 14 '13 at 17:27
I don't think you should be so quick to accept the answer, particularly since it's incomplete. What if there is a simple proof that 27 is exact, and I don't know it, and the person who does know it skips over this question because you accepted an answer already? If I were you, I'd un-accept the answer, and wait a couple of days to see what else turns up. –  MJD Jan 14 '13 at 17:33