The author very carefully avoids the usual problem of a mathematical error on the first page. Some mathematicians receive piles of purported proofs. They usual

The author very carefully avoids the usual problem of a mathematical error on the first page. Some mathematicians receive piles of purported proofs. They usually give them to their graduate students to find the hole, or if they are sufficiently convinced of the crackpottery, relegate them to the round filing cabinet. I once recall spending over an hour finding a hole in a serious proof which had been sent to a well-known number theorist (who I'll neglect to name to prevent embarrassment). We considered that a tough case. Having said that, I've seen too many of these things to bother looking for the first error in this paper.