We are left with following problem, upon which TcT provides the certificate YES(?,O(n^1)). Strict Trs: { f(X) -> n__f(X) , f(f(a())) -> c(n__f(g(f(a())))) , activate(X) -> X , activate(n__f(X)) -> f(X) } Obligation: runtime complexity Answer: YES(?,O(n^1)) The problem is match-bounded by 2. The enriched problem is compatible with the following automaton. { f_0(2) -> 1 , f_0(3) -> 1 , f_0(4) -> 1 , f_0(5) -> 1 , f_1(2) -> 6 , f_1(3) -> 6 , f_1(4) -> 6 , f_1(5) -> 6 , a_0() -> 2 , a_0() -> 6 , c_0(2) -> 3 , c_0(2) -> 6 , c_0(3) -> 3 , c_0(3) -> 6 , c_0(4) -> 3 , c_0(4) -> 6 , c_0(5) -> 3 , c_0(5) -> 6 , n__f_0(2) -> 4 , n__f_0(2) -> 6 , n__f_0(3) -> 4 , n__f_0(3) -> 6 , n__f_0(4) -> 4 , n__f_0(4) -> 6 , n__f_0(5) -> 4 , n__f_0(5) -> 6 , n__f_1(2) -> 1 , n__f_1(3) -> 1 , n__f_1(4) -> 1 , n__f_1(5) -> 1 , n__f_2(2) -> 6 , n__f_2(3) -> 6 , n__f_2(4) -> 6 , n__f_2(5) -> 6 , g_0(2) -> 5 , g_0(2) -> 6 , g_0(3) -> 5 , g_0(3) -> 6 , g_0(4) -> 5 , g_0(4) -> 6 , g_0(5) -> 5 , g_0(5) -> 6 , activate_0(2) -> 6 , activate_0(3) -> 6 , activate_0(4) -> 6 , activate_0(5) -> 6 } Hurray, we answered YES(?,O(n^1))