LeetCode 59. Spiral Matrix II

class Solution {
    public int[][] generateMatrix(int n) {
        int[][] a = new int[n][n];
        int i = 0;
        int j = 0;
        int start = 0;
        while (i < n && j < n) {
            generate(i, j, a, n, start);
            i++;
            ++j;
            n--;
            if (i < n && j < n)
                start = a[i][j - 1];
        }
        return a;
    }
    
    public void generate(int row, int col, int[][] a, int n, int start) {
        int i = row;
        int j = col;
        a[i][j] = start + 1;
        for (j++; j < n; j++) a[i][j] = a[i][j - 1] + 1;
        j--;
        
        for (i++; i < n; i++) a[i][j] = a[i -1][j] + 1;
        i--;
        
        for (j--; j >= col && i != row; j--) a[i][j] = a[i][j + 1] + 1;
        j++;
        
        for (i--; i > row && j != n; i--) a[i][j] = a[i+1][j] + 1;
    }
}