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Abstract. We introduce the concept of colored simultaneous geometric embeddings as a generalization of simultaneous graph embeddings with and without mapping. We show that there exists a universal pointset of size n for paths colored with two or three colors. We use these results to show that colored simultaneous geometric embeddings exist for: (1) a 2-colored tree together with any number of 2-colored paths and (2) a 2-colored outerplanar graph together with any number of 2-colored paths. We also show that there does not exist a universal pointset of size n for paths colored with five colors. We finally show that the following simultaneous embeddings are not possible: (1) three 6-colored cycles, (2) four 6-colored paths, and (3) three 9-colored paths.

Two graphs G1 = (V, E1) and G2 = (V, E2) admit a geometric simultaneous embedding if there exist a set of points P and a bijection M : V → P that induce planar straight-line embeddings both for G1 and for G2. The most prominent problem in this area is the question of whether a tree and a path can always be simultaneously embedded. We answer this question in the negative by providing a counterexample. Additionally, since the counterexample uses disjoint edge sets for the two graphs, we also negatively answer another open question, that is, whether it is possible to simultaneously embed two edge-disjoint trees. Finally, we study the same problem when some constraints on the tree are imposed. Namely, we show that a tree of height 2 and a path always admit a geometric simultaneous embedding. In fact, such a strong constraint is not so far from closing the gap with the instances not admitting any solution, as the tree used in our counterexample has height 4.

We study the problem of characterizing the directed graphs with an upward straight-line embedding into every point set in general or in convex position. We solve two questions posed by Binucci et al. [Computational Geometry: Theory and Applications, 2010]. Namely, we prove that the classes of directed graphs with an upward straight-line embedding into every point set in convex position and with an upward straight-line embedding into every point set in general position do not coincide, and we prove that every directed caterpillar admits an upward straight-line embedding into every point set in convex position. Further, we provide new partial positive results on the problem of constructing upward straight-line embeddings of directed paths into point sets in general position.