For those curious how to create the "virtual head" in C: struct entry { int value; entry * next; }; entry * head = NULL; void remove_entry(entry *

For those curious how to create the "virtual head" in C: struct entry { int value; entry * next; }; entry * head = NULL; void remove_entry(entry *target) { long offset = (long)&((entry*)0)->next; entry * curr = (entry*)((long)&head - offset); while (curr->next != target) curr = curr->next; curr->next = target->next; } But I'm not sure how portable that is. It is portable if the next pointer is the first member of the struct though. From 6.7.2.1.13 in the C99 standard: >A pointer to a structure object, suitably converted, points to its initial member struct entry { entry * next; int value; }; ... // virtual entry where &(curr->next) = &head entry * curr = (entry*)&head; Note that it's exactly the same logic as the grandparent since *curr = curr->next indirect = curr *indirect = *curr *indirect = curr->next indirect = &(curr->next) But, I think that the virtual head entry is an easier mental model. C99 standard: http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/WG14/www/docs/n1256.pdf http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/WG14/www/docs/n1256.pdf