LeetCode-Word Search

class Solution {
public:
    bool exist(vector<vector<char> > &board, string word) {
        // Start typing your C/C++ solution below
        // DO NOT write int main() function
        if (word == "")
        {
            return true;
        }
        else if (board.size() == 0 || board[0].size() == 0)
        {
            return false;
        }
        vector<vector<bool> > used(board.size(), vector<bool>(board[0].size(), false));
        for (int i = 0; i < board.size(); ++i)
        {
            for (int j = 0; j < board[i].size(); ++j)
            {
                if (existCore(board, word, 0, i, j, used))
                {
                    return true;
                }
            }
        }
        return false;
    }
    
    bool existCore(vector<vector<char> > &board, string word, int index, int row, int col, vector<vector<bool> > &used)
    {
        if (board[row][col] == word[index])
        {
            used[row][col] = true;
            ++index;
            if (index == word.size())
            {
                return true;
            }
            if (row > 0 && !used[row - 1][col] && existCore(board, word, index, row - 1, col, used))
            {
                return true;
            }
            if (row < board.size() - 1 && !used[row + 1][col] && existCore(board, word, index, row + 1, col, used))
            {
                return true;
            }
            if (col > 0  && !used[row][col - 1] && existCore(board, word, index, row, col - 1, used))
            {
                return true;
            }
            if (col < board[0].size() - 1 && !used[row][col + 1] && existCore(board, word, index, row, col + 1, used))
            {
                return true;
            }
            used[row][col] = false;
        }
        return false;
    }
};