- # Leetcode Linked-List-Cycle-II

  2022-09-08 15:56

  > ##### Algorithms:
  >
  > #algorithm #Floyd_s_cycle_finding_algorithm
  >
  > ##### Data structures:
  >
  > #DS #linked_list
  >
  > ##### Difficulty:
  >
  > #coding_problems #difficulty_medium
  >
  > ##### Additional tags:
  >
  > #leetcode
  >
  > ##### Revisions:
  >
  > N/A

##### Links:

- [Link to problem](https://leetcode.com/problems/linked-list-cycle-ii/)

  ***

### Problem

Given the `head` of a linked list, return _the node where the cycle begins. If there is no cycle, return_ `null`.

There is a cycle in a linked list if there is some node in the list that can be reached again by continuously following the `next` pointer. Internally, `pos` is used to denote the index of the node that tail's `next` pointer is connected to (**0-indexed**). It is `-1` if there is no cycle. **Note that** `pos` **is not passed as a parameter**.

**Do not modify** the linked list.

#### Examples

**Example 1:**

![](https://assets.leetcode.com/uploads/2018/12/07/circularlinkedlist.png)

**Input:** head = [3,2,0,-4], pos = 1
**Output:** tail connects to node index 1
**Explanation:** There is a cycle in the linked list, where tail connects to the second node.

**Example 2:**

![](https://assets.leetcode.com/uploads/2018/12/07/circularlinkedlist_test2.png)

**Input:** head = [1,2], pos = 0
**Output:** tail connects to node index 0
**Explanation:** There is a cycle in the linked list, where tail connects to the first node.

**Example 3:**

![](https://assets.leetcode.com/uploads/2018/12/07/circularlinkedlist_test3.png)

**Input:** head = [1], pos = -1
**Output:** no cycle
**Explanation:** There is no cycle in the linked list.

#### Constraints

- The number of the nodes in the list is in the range `[0, 104]`.
- `-105 <= Node.val <= 105`
- `pos` is `-1` or a **valid index** in the linked-list.

### Thoughts

> [!summary]
> This is a #Floyd_s_cycle_finding_algorithm phase 2
> problem.

Already explained in [[Floyd's Cycle Finding Algorithm]]

A follow-up to [[Leetcode Linked-List-Cycle]]

One thing to remember is that in the beginning,
fast == slow, which makes the while loop break.

### Solution

```cpp
/**
 * Definition for singly-linked list.
 * struct ListNode {
 *     int val;
 *     ListNode *next;
 *     ListNode(int x) : val(x), next(NULL) {}
 * };
 */
class Solution {
public:
ListNode *detectCycle(ListNode *head) {
// Floyed's circle finding algorithm

ListNode *fast = head;
ListNode *slow = head;
bool hasLoop = false;

while (fast != nullptr && fast->next != nullptr) {
  fast = fast->next->next;
  slow = slow->next;
  if (fast && fast == slow) {
    // loop found
    hasLoop = true;
    break;
  }
}

if (hasLoop == false) {
  return nullptr;
} else {
  slow = head;
  while (slow != fast) {
    slow = slow->next;
    fast = fast->next;
  }

  return slow;
}
}
};
```