I know that finding the Maximum clique of a graph is NP-Complete. However, is there a fast algorithm or trick exists which would allow me to just calculate the Clique number of a graph without actually bothering about what are those vertices?
Also, does it make any difference, if the graph has some special properties? For example, if the graph is known only to have triangles as building blocks or no cycles at all. In other words, there would not be any cycle which does not have an embedded triangle inside.
P.S. I have not written any code to start with as it would be pointless to try and solve and NP-complete problem. However, as this problem is a common problem, and if there exists a faster algorithm which gives me only the Clique number of a graph, I would like to understand that algorithm first then I will try to do some hands on.
Finding just the clique number is also NP-hard.
If a graph is chordal (which is perhaps what you mean in the other question) then the maximal clique can be found in polynomial time by traversing the perfect elimination order.