JBMO-SL 2001 Problem 13

At a conference there are $n$ mathematicians. Each of them knows exactly $k$ fellow mathematicians. Find the smallest value of $k$ such that there are at least three mathematicians that are acquainted each with the other two.

Rewording of the last line for clarification: Find the smallest value of $k$ such that there (always) exists $3$ mathematicians $X,Y,Z$ such that $X$ and $Y$ know each other, $X$ and $Z$ know each other and $Y$ and $Z$ know each other.