Boone-Higman theorem

A finitely generated group $G$ has a soluble word problem for a group if and only if there are a simple group $S$ and a finitely presented group $P$ with embeddings $G\hookrightarrow S\hookrightarrow P$. The theorem does not require $S$ itself to be finitely presented. In particular, a finitely generated subgroup of a finitely presented simple group has soluble word problem. The primary statement is Theorem I of An algebraic characterization of groups with soluble word problem.

Let $S$ be a nontrivial simple group inside a finitely presented group $P$, and fix $a\ne 1$ in $S$. For an input word $w$ in $S$, enumerate products of conjugates in $P$ of $w^{\pm 1}$ and proofs in $P$ that such a product equals $a$. This search terminates exactly when $w\ne 1$: the normal closure of a nontrivial element of $S$ is all of $S$, and its conjugators are also elements of $P$, while a null word has only trivial conjugates. Run this search alongside the enumerable proofs that $w=1$. Exactly one search terminates, solving the word problem for a group on any specified finitely generated subgroup of $S$. No effective generating set for the possibly infinitely generated $S$ is needed.

A finitely generated group with soluble word problem for a group embeds in a countably generated simple group with a recursive presentation of a group. Start with $P_0=G\ast ⟨a⟩$, retaining decidable membership in $⟨a⟩$. At stage $n$, add a free infinite cyclic generator $z_n$. For every nonidentity base element $g$, conjugate $[g,z_n]$ to $a$ and conjugate $g{z}_n$ to $a$; also conjugate $z_n$ to $a$, using distinct stable letters. All associated subgroups are infinite cyclic, with decidable membership by effective cyclic membership in a free product. Britton's lemma preserves embeddings, decidable word problem and decidable membership in the inherited $⟨a⟩$.

In the union, any nontrivial normal subgroup contains some nonidentity $g$ and hence $a$, by the commutator-conjugation relation. The other relations force $z_n$ and then every old $g$ into the normal closure of $a$. Every stable letter becomes an old element at a later stage, so the normal closure of $a$ is the whole union. The union is nontrivial and simple. Effective word enumeration at each stage makes all relators recursively enumerable. A two-generator HNN embedding followed by the Higman embedding theorem embeds this simple envelope in a finitely presented group.