Remove Nth Node From End of List

Problem

Given the head of a linked list, remove the nth node from the end of the list and return its head.

Example 1:

Input: head = [1,2,3,4,5], n = 2
Output: [1,2,3,5]

Example 2:

Input: head = [1], n = 1
Output: []

Example 3:

Input: head = [1,2], n = 1
Output: [1]

Constraints:

  • The number of nodes in the list is sz.
  • 1 <= sz <= 30
  • 0 <= Node.val <= 100
  • 1 <= n <= sz

Follow up: Could you do this in one pass?

Solution

This problem was a bit difficult for me.

/**
 * Definition for singly-linked list.
 * public class ListNode {
 *     int val;
 *     ListNode next;
 *     ListNode() {}
 *     ListNode(int val) { this.val = val; }
 *     ListNode(int val, ListNode next) { this.val = val; this.next = next; }
 * }
 */
class Solution {
    public ListNode removeNthFromEnd(ListNode head, int n) {
        var fast = head;
        ListNode slow = null;
        var i = 0;

        while (fast != null) {
            i += 1;
            fast = fast.next;
            if (i > n) {
                if (slow == null) {
                    slow = head;
                } else {
                    slow = slow.next;
                }
            }
        }

        if (slow == null) {
            return head.next;
        }

        if (slow.next.next == null) {
            slow.next = null;
        } else {
            slow.next.val = slow.next.next.val;
            slow.next.next = slow.next.next.next;
        }

        return head;
    }
}

Recent posts from blogs that I like

Great Ladies of Impressionism: Berthe Morisot 1874-1891

Her turning point in 1874 - rejected from the Salon, joining the first Impressionist Exhibition, and marrying Édouard Manet's brother. How those changed art.

via The Eclectic Light Company

AI inference is obviously profitable

Many people claim that AI inference is unprofitable to serve, and thus must be subsidized by an ocean of dumb money from investors who believe that some future AI model will come to dominate the world economy. When that dumb money goes away, so will AI products. According to this view, LLMs are just...

via Sean Goedecke

Escaping Flatland meetups summer 2026: times and places

There has been a flurry of activity in the chat over the last two months, and we now have meetups arranged in 47 cities in 22 countries!

via Henrik Karlsson