Author kit (use of this template is required)
Heuristic search and other forms of combinatorial search and optimization are highly active areas of research across artificial intelligence, robotics, planning, discrete optimization, and related fields in computer science and operations research. The International Symposium on Combinatorial Search (SoCS) aims to bring together researchers working in these areas to exchange ideas and foster cross-fertilization across disciplines.
SoCS welcomes submissions from all research communities that employ combinatorial search techniques, including artificial intelligence, planning, robotics, constraint programming, meta-reasoning, operations research, navigation, and bioinformatics. We particularly encourage submissions that present real-world applications of heuristic search.
Given its co-location with IJCAI 2026, SoCS especially welcomes papers that explore the interface between combinatorial search and other areas of AI research.
Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:
Adversarial search
Analysis of search algorithms
Automated synthesis of lower bounds
Bidirectional search
Bounding and pruning techniques
Combinatorial optimization
Combinatorial puzzles
Continuous problem solving
Constraint search
Deep learning in heuristics and search
External-memory and parallel search
Heuristics
Incremental and active learning in search
Machine learning for or in search algorithms
Metareasoning and search
Methodology and critiques of current practice
Model-based search
Multi-agent pathfinding
Pathfinding
Portfolios of search algorithms
Problem compilation
Problem-solving using search
Random vs. systematic search strategy selection
Real-life applications
Real-time search
Reinforcement learning and search
Search in goal-directed problem solving
Search space discretization for continuous state-space problems
Search-based diagnosis
Search in Boolean satisfiability
Search in machine learning and big data analytics
Search methods in robotics
Search for Large Language models (LLMs)
Self-configuring and self-tuning algorithms
Symmetry handling
Time, memory, and solution quality trade-offs
Tools, Software frameworks, and benchmarks
We encourage researchers to submit three categories of papers to the symposium:
Technical papers. Technical papers are the standard submission category and may be either long (up to 8 pages, plus up to one page of references) or short (up to 4 pages, plus up to one page of references). We welcome technical papers reporting substantial original research in combinatorial and heuristic search, or in closely related areas. Submissions must not be under review at any other archival conference or journal.
Position papers. In addition to the technical track, we encourage the submission of long (up to 8 pages, plus up to one page of references) and short (up to 4 pages, plus up to one page of references) position papers. Position papers should present original ideas, perspectives, or analyses related to heuristic and combinatorial search. Suitable topics include, but are not limited to, thoughtful critiques of current practice, bold new research directions, historical perspectives and analyses, technical discussions of implementation techniques, methodological contributions, and insightful reports on new or challenging application domains.
Extended abstracts. To foster broad exchange of ideas at SoCS, we encourage the submission of extended abstracts (up to 2 pages, including references). Extended abstracts may describe original work, work in progress, or work that has recently appeared in or is currently under review at other venues (e.g., AAAI, ICAPS, IJCAI). Most archival conferences do not consider a 2-page extended abstract to preclude later submission of a full-length paper describing the same work.
For recently published work, authors may alternatively submit the original published paper for review (with no page limit and no requirement to anonymize), provided that the front page clearly indicates when and where the paper was published. If such a submission is accepted, authors will be required to submit a 2-page abstract for inclusion in the proceedings; the original paper itself will not be reprinted. All extended abstract submissions will be lightly reviewed to ensure relevance and interest to the SoCS community.
All accepted submissions will be included in the symposium proceedings. Extended abstracts will typically be presented as posters.
Submitted technical and position papers must be original and not submitted concurrently to any journal or conference. These submissions will undergo double-blind review and must therefore omit author names and affiliations.
Extended abstracts follow different anonymization requirements depending on their status:
Previously published work: Author names and affiliations do not need to be removed. To facilitate review, authors should clearly indicate on the first page (e.g., in the title) where and when the work was published or accepted.
Example title: “A Fascinating New Search Algorithm that Beats A* (accepted for AAAI-2026)”
Work under review elsewhere: Author names and affiliations must be omitted. Authors should indicate on the first page where the work is currently under review.
Example title: A Fascinating New Search Algorithm that Beats A (under review for AAAI-2024)”*
Other extended abstracts (e.g., original or work-in-progress): Author names and affiliations must be omitted.
Paper submission is a two-step process:
Abstract registration in EasyChair by the Paper Abstract Submission Deadline.
Full paper submission (PDF) by the Paper Submission Deadline.
Abstract registration is mandatory; papers whose abstracts are not registered by the deadline cannot be submitted later.
Submissions may include supplementary material (e.g., videos or appendices), which must also be anonymized. Reviewers are not required to consult supplementary material, and submissions will not be disadvantaged if no supplementary material is provided. The submitted paper should be fully self-contained.
SoCS will not accept any technical or position paper that, at the time of submission, is:
Under review at another journal or conference, or
Previously published or accepted for publication in a journal or conference.
Authors are also required not to submit their technical or position papers elsewhere during the SoCS review period. These restrictions apply only to journals and conferences and do not apply to workshops or other non-archival venues with limited audiences.
Authors will be required to confirm compliance with these policies at the time of submission.
The page limits for camera-ready papers are the same as those for the initial submissions. For long and short papers, the final page reserved for references may also include acknowledgments. The purchase of additional pages is not permitted.