A
    / \
   /   \
  B     C
 / \   / \
D   E F   G
   / \     \
  H   I     J
 / \
L   M
   / \
  **  O

(which could possibly represent)

        START
        +   +---+---+
        | A   C   G |
    +---+   +   +   +
    | D   B | F | J |
+---+---+   +---+---+
| L   H   E   I |
+---+   +---+---+
    | M   O |
    +   +---+
    FINISH

(ignoring left-right ordering on the tree)

A B E H M **

A B D (backtrack) E H L (backtrack) M ** (backtrack) O (backtrack thrice) I
(backtrack thrice) C F (backtrack) G J

A (next level) B C (next level) D E F G (next level)
H I J (next level) L M (next level) ** O

1) Move forward
2) Are you at a wall?
2a) If yes, turn left
3) Are you at the finish?
3a) If no, go to 1
3b) If yes, solved

#ifndef vAlgorithms_Interview_graph_maze_better_h
#define vAlgorithms_Interview_graph_maze_better_h

static const int kMaxRows = 100;
static const int kMaxColumns = 100;

class MazeSolver
    {
private:
    char m_matrix[kMaxRows][kMaxColumns]; //matrix representation of graph
    int rows, cols; //actual rows and columns

    bool m_exit_found;
    int m_exit_row, m_exit_col;
    int m_entrance_row, m_entrance_col;

    struct square //abstraction for data stored in every verex
        {
        pair<int, int> m_coord; //x and y co-ordinates of the matrix
        square* m_parent; //to trace the path backwards

        square() : m_parent(0) {}
        };

    queue<square*> Q;

public:
    MazeSolver(const char* filename)
        : m_exit_found(false)
        , m_exit_row(0)
        , m_exit_col(0)
        , m_entrance_row(0)
        , m_entrance_col(0)
        {
        ifstream file;
        file.open(filename);

        if(!file)
            {
            cout <<"could not open the file" << endl << flush;
            // in real world, put this in second phase constructor
            }
        init_matrix(file);
        }
    ~MazeSolver()
        {
        }
    void solve_maze()
        {
        //we will basically use BFS: keep pushing squares on q, visit all 4 neighbors and see
        //which way can we proceed depending on obstacle(wall)

        square* s = new square();
        s->m_coord = make_pair(m_entrance_row, m_entrance_col);

        Q.push(s);

        while(!m_exit_found && !Q.empty())
            {
            s = Q.front();
            Q.pop();

            int x = s->m_coord.first;
            int y = s->m_coord.second;
            //check if this square is an exit cell
            if(x == m_exit_row && y == m_exit_col)
                {
                m_matrix[x][y] = '>'; // end of the path
                m_exit_found = true;
                //todo: try breaking? no= queue wont empty
                }
            else
                {
                //try walking all 4 neighbors and select best path
                //NOTE: Since we check all 4 neighbors simultaneously,
                //      the path will be the shortest path
                walk_path(x-1, y, s);
                walk_path(x+1, y, s);
                walk_path(x, y-1, s);
                walk_path(x, y+1, s);
                }
            } /* end while */

        clear_maze(); //unset all previously marked visited shit

        //put the traversed path in maze for printing
        while(s->m_parent)
            {
            m_matrix[s->m_coord.first][s->m_coord.second] = '-';
            s = s->m_parent;
            } /* end while */
        }

    void print()
        {
        for(int i=0; i<rows; i++)
            {
            for(int j=0; j<cols; j++)
                cout << m_matrix[i][j];
            cout << endl << flush;
            }
        }

private:
    void init_matrix(ifstream& file)
        {
        //read the contents line-wise
        string line;
        int row=0;
        while(!file.eof())
            {
            std::getline(file, line);
            for(int i=0; i<line.size(); i++)
                {
                m_matrix[row][i] = line[i];
                }
            row++;
            if(line.size() > 0)
                {
                cols = line.size();
                }
            } /* end while */
        rows = row - 1;

        find_exit_and_entry();
        m_exit_found = false;
        }

    //find and mark ramp and exit points
    void find_exit_and_entry()
        {
        for(int i=0; i<rows; i++)
            {
            if(m_matrix[i][cols-1] == ' ')
                {
                m_exit_row = i;
                m_exit_col = cols - 1;
                }
            if(m_matrix[i][0] == ' ')
                {
                m_entrance_row = i;
                m_entrance_col = 0;
                }
            } /* end for */
        //mark entry and exit for testing
        m_matrix[m_entrance_row][m_entrance_col] = 's';
        m_matrix[m_exit_row][m_exit_col] = 'e';
        }

    void clear_maze()
        {
        for(int x=0; x<rows; x++)
            for(int y=0; y<cols; y++)
                if(m_matrix[x][y] == '-')
                    m_matrix[x][y] = ' ';
        }
        // Take a square, see if it's the exit. If not,
        // push it onto the queue so its (possible) pathways
        // are checked.
    void walk_path(int x, int y, square* parent)
        {
        if(m_exit_found) return;
        if(x==m_exit_row && y==m_exit_col)
            {
            m_matrix[x][y] = '>';
            m_exit_found = true;
            }
        else
            {
            if(can_walk_at(x, y))
                {
                //tag this cell as visited
                m_matrix[x][y] = '-';

                cout <<"can walk =" << x <<"," << y << endl << flush;

                //add to queue
                square* s = new square();
                s->m_parent = parent;
                s->m_coord = make_pair(x, y);
                Q.push(s);
                }
            }
        }

    bool can_walk_at(int x, int y)
        {
        bool oob = is_out_of_bounds(x, y);
        bool visited = m_matrix[x][y] == '-';
        bool walled = m_matrix[x][y] == '#';

        return ( !oob && !visited && !walled);
        }
    bool is_out_of_bounds(int x, int y)
        {
        if(x<0 || x > rows || y<0 || y>cols)
            return true;
        return false;
        }
    };


void run_test_graph_maze_better()
        {
        MazeSolver m("/Users/vshakya/Dropbox/private/graph/maze.txt");
        m.print();
        m.solve_maze();
        m.print();
        }


#endif

While Not At End
    If Square To Left is open,
        Rotate Left
        Go Forward
    Else
        Rotate Right
    End If
Wend

While Not At End
    If Can Go North
        Go North
    ElseIf Can Go East
        Go East
    ElseIf Can Go South
        Go South
    ElseIf Can Go West
        Go West
    EndIf
Wend

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   X         X
   X         X
   X         X
 XXX         X
 X X         X
 X XXXXXXXXXXX     XXXE
 X                 X
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