A bounded-size transversal kernel gives a finite intersection witness for cross-intersecting families, even when the two set families are infinite. We first prove the kernel statement: for any set family whose members have size at most , and any integer , there is a finite subset with
such that every set of size at most is a hitting set for if and only if it is a hitting set for .
Use mathematical induction on . If is empty, take . For and nonempty , choose any one member: the only possible is empty and is a hitting set for neither family. For the induction step, choose . For each apply the inductive statement to
with parameter , obtaining . Put . Its size is at most . If is a hitting set for , choose . Every member of avoids , so is a hitting set for and hence for . Members of containing already meet . Thus is a hitting set for all of . The reverse implication follows from inclusion. If , no is a hitting set for either family, so the implication remains valid. This finite branching proof never assumes is finite.
Apply the kernel statement with and define . For each , the cross-intersecting family condition ensures that meets every member of , since these members lie inside . As , it therefore meets every . We obtain
In particular, a positive-integer-valued choice valid whether or not is
Here the constant term of the sum is , including when . If either set family is empty, suffices. If both are nonempty, the cross-intersecting family condition rules out or .