{"id":"dummy-sentinel-pattern","text":"The dummy/sentinel head pattern (allocate a throwaway node, build via `tail.next`, return `dummy.next`) is the standard linked-list construction idiom in this repo, used in both solution algorithms and test helpers like `from_list`.","truth_value":"IN","source":"entries/2026/06/06/merge-two-sorted-lists-solution.md","source_url":"","source_hash":"","justifications":[],"dependents":[],"metadata":{},"created_at":"","updated_at":"","reviewed_at":"","verified_at":"","retracted_at":"","explanation":{"steps":[{"node":"dummy-sentinel-pattern","truth_value":"IN","reason":"premise"}]}}