Merge k sorted linked lists and return it as one sorted list. Analyze and describe its complexity.
/**
* Definition for singly-linked list.
* struct ListNode {
* int val;
* ListNode *next;
* ListNode(int x) : val(x), next(NULL) {}
* };
*/
class Solution {
public:
ListNode* mergeKLists(vector<ListNode*>& lists) {
if (lists.empty()) {
return nullptr;
}
auto comp_func = [](ListNode* a, ListNode* b){ return (a->val >= b->val);};
vector<ListNode*> heap;
for (auto node : lists) {
if (node) {
heap.emplace_back(node);
}
}
ListNode head_node(-1);
ListNode *head = &head_node;
make_heap(heap.begin(), heap.end(), comp_func);
while (!heap.empty()) {
pop_heap(heap.begin(), heap.end(), comp_func);
auto &node = heap.back();
heap.pop_back();
head->next = node;
head = node;
if (node->next) {
heap.emplace_back(node->next);
push_heap(heap.begin(), heap.end(), comp_func);
}
}
return head_node.next;
}
};