Elementary proofs of Zagier’s formula for multiple zeta values and its odd variant

In this paper, we give elementary proofs of Zagier’s formula for multiple zeta values involving Hoffman elements and its odd variant due to Murakami [Math. Ann. 382 (2022), pp. 421–458]. Zagier’s formula was a key ingredient in the proof of Hoffman’s conjecture. Moreover, using the same approach, we prove Murakami’s formula for multiple t t -values. This formula is essential in proving a Brown type result which asserts that each multiple zeta value is a Q \mathbb {Q} -linear combination of multiple t t -values of the same weight involving only 2 2 ’s and 3 3 ’s.