Leetcode #143: Reorder List
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #143 Reorder List in Python and focus on the core idea that makes the solution efficient.
You will see the intuition, the step-by-step method, and a clean Python implementation you can use in interviews.
Problem Statement
You are given the head of a singly linked-list. The list can be represented as: L0 → L1 → … → Ln - 1 → Ln Reorder the list to be on the following form: L0 → Ln → L1 → Ln - 1 → L2 → Ln - 2 → … You may not modify the values in the list's nodes.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Medium
- Premium: No
- Tags: Stack, Recursion, Linked List, Two Pointers
Intuition
The constraints hint that we can reason about two ends of the data at once, which is perfect for a two-pointer scan.
Moving one pointer at a time keeps the invariant intact and avoids nested loops.
Approach
Place pointers at the left and right ends and move them based on the comparison or target condition.
This yields a clean linear pass after any required sorting.
Steps:
- Set left and right pointers.
- Move a pointer based on the condition.
- Update the best answer while scanning.
Example
L0 → L1 → … → Ln - 1 → Ln
Python Solution
# Definition for singly-linked list.
# class ListNode:
# def __init__(self, val=0, next=None):
# self.val = val
# self.next = next
class Solution:
def reorderList(self, head: Optional[ListNode]) -> None:
fast = slow = head
while fast.next and fast.next.next:
slow = slow.next
fast = fast.next.next
cur = slow.next
slow.next = None
pre = None
while cur:
t = cur.next
cur.next = pre
pre, cur = cur, t
cur = head
while pre:
t = pre.next
pre.next = cur.next
cur.next = pre
cur, pre = pre.next, t
Complexity
The time complexity is , where is the length of the linked list. The space complexity is .
Edge Cases and Pitfalls
Watch for boundary values, empty inputs, and duplicate values where applicable. If the problem involves ordering or constraints, confirm the invariant is preserved at every step.
Summary
This Python solution focuses on the essential structure of the problem and keeps the implementation interview-friendly while meeting the constraints.