#include <cassert>
#include <cstdio>
using namespace std;

int count = 0;

bool isMatch(const char *s, const char *p) {

  printf("%5d   %s   %s\n", count++, s, p);  

  assert(s && p);
  if (*p == '\0') return *s == '\0';

  // next char is not '*': must match current character
  if (*(p+1) != '*') {
    assert(*p != '*');
    return ((*p == *s) || (*p == '.' && *s != '\0')) && isMatch(s+1, p+1);
  }
  // next char is '*'
  while ((*p == *s) || (*p == '.' && *s != '\0')) {
    if (isMatch(s, p+2)) return true;
    s++;
  }
  return isMatch(s, p+2);
}

int main() {
    isMatch("aaa", "a*a*a*b");
    return 0;
}