[LeetCode] 909. Snakes and Ladders

Problem : https://leetcode.com/problems/snakes-and-ladders/description/

This problem can be solved with BFS algorithm.

Each square on the board might be visited by regular visit or by using a ladder.   So each square has 2 visited states. Start from the index 1 square and use BFS algorithm to find the least steps to reach to the N*N square.

class Solution {
    public int snakesAndLadders(int[][] board) {
        int N = board.length;

        // Every square may be visited by a regular movement or by using a ladder
        boolean[][] visited = new boolean[N*N+1][2];

        Deque<Integer> queue = new LinkedList<>();
        queue.offerLast(1);
        visited[1][0] = true;

        int result = 0;

        while (!queue.isEmpty()) {
            int size = queue.size();
            
            for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
                int currentIndex = queue.pollFirst();

                // reach the destination 
                if (currentIndex == N*N) {
                    return result;
                }
                
                for (int j = 1; j <= 6 && currentIndex + j <= N * N; j++) {
                    int nextIndex = currentIndex + j;
                    int[] nextPos = indexToPos(nextIndex, N);

                    if (board[nextPos[0]][nextPos[1]] != -1) {
                        // if the square has ladder
                        int jumpIndex = board[nextPos[0]][nextPos[1]];
                        
                        // check if this square has been visited by using ladder
                        if (visited[jumpIndex][1]) {
                            continue;
                        }

                        visited[jumpIndex][1] = true;
                        queue.offerLast(jumpIndex);
                    } else {
                        // if this square has been visited by regular movement
                        if (visited[nextIndex][0]) {
                            continue;
                        }
                        visited[nextIndex][0] = true;
                        queue.offerLast(nextIndex);
                    }

                }
            }

            result += 1;
        }

        return -1;
    }

    int[] indexToPos(int i, int N) {
        // find the row index
        int y = (N - 1)  - (i-1) / N;

        // find the column index
        int x = (i-1) % N;

        // revert the column order on the row "y" if it is needed
        if (y % 2 == N % 2) {
            x = (N-1) - x;
        }

        return new int[] { y, x };
    }
}

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