Swap Nodes in Pairs

Problem

Given a linked list, swap every two adjacent nodes and return its head. You must solve the problem without modifying the values in the list’s nodes (i.e., only nodes themselves may be changed.)

Example 1:

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

Example 2:

Input: head = []
Output: []

Example 3:

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

Constraints:

  • The number of nodes in the list is in the range [0, 100].
  • 0 <= Node.val <= 100

Solution

I almost reached for an approach where I would reverse the entire linked list and worked backwards, but this was simpler.

/**
 * 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 swapPairs(ListNode head) {
        var curr = head;
        var next = head != null ? head.next : null;
        ListNode prev = null;

        // special case: first node
        head = next == null ? head : next;

        while (curr != null && next != null) {
            curr.next = next.next;
            next.next = curr;

            if (prev != null) {
                prev.next = next;
            }
            prev = curr;

            curr = curr.next;
            if (curr != null) {
                next = curr.next;
            }
        }

        return head;
    }
}

Recent posts from blogs that I like

Lost in the log? Here’s Logistician 1.1

New version adds more detail to the list of log files, and a new graphical view to pick out anomalies in up to 6 weeks of previous log records.

via The Eclectic Light Company

Getting a better sense for when you’re thinking well and when you’re faking it

On mental proprioception

via Henrik Karlsson

Notes on Linear Algebra for Polynomials

We’ll be working with the set P_n(\mathbb{R}), real polynomials of degree \leq n. Such polynomials can be expressed using n+1 scalar coefficients a_i as follows: \[p(x)=a_0+a_1 x + a_2 x^2 + \cdots + a_n x^n\] Vector space The set P_n(\mathbb{R}), along with addition of polynomials and scalar multip...

via Eli Bendersky