909. Snakes and Ladders
On an N x N board, the numbers from 1 to N*N are written boustrophedonically starting from the bottom left of the board, and alternating direction each row. For example, for a 6 x 6 board, the numbers are written as follows:
You start on square 1 of the board (which is always in the last row and first column). Each move, starting from square x, consists of the following:
- You choose a destination square S with number x+1, x+2, x+3, x+4, x+5, or x+6, provided this number is <= N*N.
- (This choice simulates the result of a standard 6-sided die roll: ie., there are always at most 6 destinations, regardless of the size of the board.)
- If S has a snake or ladder, you move to the destination of that snake or ladder. Otherwise, you move to S.
A board square on row r and column c has a “snake or ladder” if board[r][c] != -1. The destination of that snake or ladder is board[r][c].
Note that you only take a snake or ladder at most once per move: if the destination to a snake or ladder is the start of another snake or ladder, you do not continue moving. (For example, if the board is [[4,-1],[-1,3]]
, and on the first move your destination square is 2
, then you finish your first move at 3
, because you do not continue moving to 4
.)
Return the least number of moves required to reach square N*N. If it is not possible, return -1.