{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7161014301","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.12421","title":"Formalize, Don't Optimize: The Heuristic Trap in LLM-Generated Combinatorial Solvers","display_name":"Formalize, Don't Optimize: The Heuristic Trap in LLM-Generated Combinatorial Solvers","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-05-12","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7161014301","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.12421"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.12421","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.12421","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.12421","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136031919","display_name":"Haoyu Wang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Wang, Haoyu","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5101307044","display_name":"Yuliang Song","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Song, Yuliang","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136055255","display_name":"Tao Li","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6732-9018"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Li, Tao","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136052883","display_name":"Zhiwei Deng","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Deng, Zhiwei","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136016197","display_name":"Yaqing Wang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Wang, Yaqing","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5111238931","display_name":"Deepak Ramachandran","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5412-6133"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ramachandran, Deepak","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5087004754","display_name":"Eldan Cohen","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5767-6683"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Cohen, Eldan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136068797","display_name":"Dan Roth","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Roth, Dan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":8,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11596","display_name":"Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization","score":0.22840000689029694,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1705","display_name":"Computer Networks and Communications"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11596","display_name":"Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization","score":0.22840000689029694,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1705","display_name":"Computer Networks and Communications"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10181","display_name":"Natural Language Processing Techniques","score":0.1282999962568283,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10028","display_name":"Topic Modeling","score":0.10440000146627426,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/correctness","display_name":"Correctness","score":0.7135999798774719},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/python","display_name":"Python (programming language)","score":0.6983000040054321},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/executable","display_name":"Executable","score":0.5468999743461609},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/solver","display_name":"Solver","score":0.510699987411499},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/combinatorial-optimization","display_name":"Combinatorial optimization","score":0.428600013256073},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/constraint-programming","display_name":"Constraint programming","score":0.4147999882698059},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/benchmark","display_name":"Benchmark (surveying)","score":0.4052000045776367},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/heuristic","display_name":"Heuristic","score":0.39590001106262207}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C55439883","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q360812","display_name":"Correctness","level":2,"score":0.7135999798774719},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C519991488","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28865","display_name":"Python (programming language)","level":2,"score":0.6983000040054321},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.6800000071525574},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C160145156","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q778586","display_name":"Executable","level":2,"score":0.5468999743461609},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778770139","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1966904","display_name":"Solver","level":2,"score":0.510699987411499},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C80444323","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2878974","display_name":"Theoretical computer science","level":1,"score":0.4526999890804291},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C52692508","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1333872","display_name":"Combinatorial optimization","level":2,"score":0.428600013256073},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C173404611","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q528588","display_name":"Constraint programming","level":3,"score":0.4147999882698059},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199360897","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9143","display_name":"Programming language","level":1,"score":0.40529999136924744},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C185798385","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1161707","display_name":"Benchmark (surveying)","level":2,"score":0.4052000045776367},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C173801870","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q201413","display_name":"Heuristic","level":2,"score":0.39590001106262207},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199622910","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1128326","display_name":"Constraint satisfaction problem","level":3,"score":0.3695000112056732},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C127705205","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5748245","display_name":"Heuristics","level":2,"score":0.35920000076293945},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115908005","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2668364","display_name":"Combinatorial explosion","level":2,"score":0.3490000069141388},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C169590947","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q47506","display_name":"Compiler","level":2,"score":0.34130001068115234},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11413529","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8366","display_name":"Algorithm","level":1,"score":0.33730000257492065},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C6943359","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q875276","display_name":"Boolean satisfiability problem","level":2,"score":0.33320000767707825},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C126255220","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q141495","display_name":"Mathematical optimization","level":1,"score":0.32839998602867126},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C44616089","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30158686","display_name":"Constraint satisfaction","level":3,"score":0.2842000126838684},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C203208320","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5150830","display_name":"Combinatorial search","level":4,"score":0.2793999910354614},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C117251300","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1849855","display_name":"Parametric statistics","level":2,"score":0.2685000002384186},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C137836250","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q984063","display_name":"Optimization problem","level":2,"score":0.25380000472068787}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.12421","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.12421","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.12421","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.12421","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Large":[0],"Language":[1],"Models":[2],"(LLMs)":[3],"struggle":[4],"to":[5,20,42,117,172,226],"solve":[6],"complex":[7],"combinatorial":[8,52,220],"problems":[9,53],"through":[10,67],"direct":[11],"reasoning,":[12],"so":[13],"recent":[14],"neuro-symbolic":[15],"systems":[16],"increasingly":[17],"use":[18,222],"them":[19],"synthesize":[21],"executable":[22],"solvers.":[23],"A":[24,165],"central":[25],"design":[26,216],"question":[27],"is":[28,113],"how":[29],"the":[30,34,92,107,114,133,181,206,223],"LLM":[31,182,224],"should":[32,39],"represent":[33],"solver,":[35],"and":[36,56,75,146,155,230,235],"whether":[37],"it":[38],"also":[40],"attempt":[41],"optimize":[43],"search.":[44],"We":[45,82],"introduce":[46],"CP-SynC-XL,":[47],"a":[48,68,84,119,147,160,173,214],"benchmark":[49],"of":[50,163],"100":[51],"(4,577":[54],"instances),":[55],"evaluate":[57],"three":[58],"solver-construction":[59],"paradigms:":[60],"native":[61],"algorithmic":[62],"search":[63,138,186,240],"(Python),":[64,190],"constraint":[65,77],"modeling":[66,78],"Python":[69,88,112],"solver":[70],"API":[71],"(Python":[72,194],"+":[73,80,89,99,195,209],"OR-Tools),":[74,196],"declarative":[76,200],"(MiniZinc":[79,208],"OR-Tools).":[81,210],"find":[83],"consistent":[85],"representational":[86],"divergence:":[87],"OR-Tools":[90,100,109],"attains":[91],"highest":[93],"correctness":[94,156],"across":[95],"LLMs,":[96],"while":[97],"MiniZinc":[98],"has":[101],"lower":[102],"absolute":[103],"coverage":[104],"despite":[105],"using":[106],"same":[108],"back-end.":[110],"Native":[111],"most":[115],"likely":[116],"return":[118],"schema-valid":[120],"solution":[121],"that":[122,202],"fails":[123],"verification,":[124],"whereas":[125],"solver-backed":[126],"paths":[127],"preserve":[128],"higher":[129],"conditional":[130],"fidelity.":[131],"On":[132],"heuristic":[134,175],"axis,":[135],"prompting":[136],"for":[137,218,232],"optimization":[139,241],"yields":[140],"only":[141],"small":[142],"median":[143],"speed-ups":[144],"(1.03-1.12x)":[145],"strongly":[148],"bimodal":[149],"effect:":[150],"many":[151],"instances":[152],"slow":[153],"down,":[154],"drops":[157],"sharply":[158],"on":[159],"long":[161],"tail":[162],"problems.":[164],"paired":[166],"code-level":[167],"audit":[168],"traces":[169],"these":[170],"regressions":[171],"recurring":[174],"trap.":[176],"Under":[177],"an":[178],"efficiency-oriented":[179],"prompt,":[180],"may":[183],"replace":[184],"complete":[185],"with":[187],"local":[188],"approximations":[189],"inject":[191],"unverified":[192],"bounds":[193],"or":[197,204],"add":[198],"redundant":[199],"machinery":[201],"overwhelms":[203],"over-constrains":[205],"model":[207],"These":[211],"findings":[212],"support":[213],"conservative":[215],"principle":[217],"LLM-generated":[219],"solvers:":[221],"primarily":[225],"formalize":[227],"variables,":[228],"constraints,":[229],"objectives":[231],"verified":[233],"solvers,":[234],"separately":[236],"check":[237],"any":[238],"LLM-authored":[239],"before":[242],"use.":[243]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-06-11T09:08:48.828518","created_date":"2026-05-14T00:00:00"}