// The leftmost position at which the greatest of the k lower elements
    // -- the new value of threshold -- might be found.

    int iterations = 0;
    int maxIterations = IntMath.log2(right - left, RoundingMode.CEILING) * 3;
    while (left < right) {
      int pivotIndex = (left + right + 1) >>> 1;

      int pivotNewIndex = partition(left, right, pivotIndex);

      if (pivotNewIndex > k) {