dancing links

Questions

What does dancing links mean?

A technique for reverting the deletion of a node from a circular doubly-linked list, particularly useful for efficiently implementing backtracking algorithms.

Where does dancing links come from?

The name was suggested by Donald Knuth, because iterations of the algorithm cause the links to interact as if in an “exquisitely choreographed dance”.

How to pronounce dancing links

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “dancing links”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “dancing links”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “dancing links” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.