LeetCode 54 ·
Medium
Spiral Matrix
Return all elements of the matrix in spiral order.
Try it
Step through the core mechanic. The simulator below runs the math shape this problem is built on.
Walk the pattern
No dedicated step-through for this one yet. The shape is Math — its pattern page has the interactive walkthrough, the reference implementation, and a five-problem progression that this problem sits inside.
The approach
Maintain four shrinking bounds (top, bottom, left, right). Walk right along top then top++, down the right then right−−, and so on, stopping when the bounds cross.
| Aspect | Value |
|---|---|
| Pattern | Math |
| Recognise it by | Read a matrix in spiral order. |
| Time complexity | O(mn) |
| Space complexity | O(1) |
| Difficulty | Medium |
Who asks it
Companies known to ask this problem, from public LeetCode company-tag aggregations. A signal of where to expect it, not a guarantee.