/**
   * Returns an element less than the {@link #samples()} and less than {@link
   * #belowSamplesGreater()}.
   */
  E belowSamplesLesser();

  /**
   * Returns an element less than the {@link #samples()} but greater than {@link
   * #belowSamplesLesser()}.
   */
  E belowSamplesGreater();

  /**
   * Returns an element greater than the {@link #samples()} but less than {@link
   * #aboveSamplesGreater()}.
   */

     * In that explanation's notation, our `overlap` check would be `x1 < y2 && y1 < x2`. We've
     * flipped one part of the check so that we're using "less than" in both cases (rather than a
     * mix of "less than" and "greater than"). We've also switched to "strictly less than" rather
     * than "less than or equal to" because of *handwave* the difference between "endpoints of
     * inclusive ranges" and "Cuts."
     */

  }

  /**
   * Returns {@code true} if each element in {@code iterable} after the first is greater than or
   * equal to the element that preceded it, according to the specified comparator. Note that this is
   * always true when the iterable has fewer than two elements.
   */
  public static <T extends @Nullable Object> boolean isInOrder(
      Iterable<? extends T> iterable, Comparator<T> comparator) {

  SortedMap<K, V> create(Object... elements);

  /**
   * Returns an entry with a key less than the keys of the {@link #samples()} and less than the key
   * of {@link #belowSamplesGreater()}.
   */
  Entry<K, V> belowSamplesLesser();

  /**
   * Returns an entry with a key less than the keys of the {@link #samples()} but greater than the
   * key of {@link #belowSamplesLesser()}.
   */
  Entry<K, V> belowSamplesGreater();

  SortedMap<K, V> create(Object... elements);

  /**
   * Returns an entry with a key less than the keys of the {@link #samples()} and less than the key
   * of {@link #belowSamplesGreater()}.
   */
  Entry<K, V> belowSamplesLesser();

  /**
   * Returns an entry with a key less than the keys of the {@link #samples()} but greater than the
   * key of {@link #belowSamplesLesser()}.
   */
  Entry<K, V> belowSamplesGreater();

      if (collection.size() <= 2L * k) {
        // In this case, just dumping the collection to an array and sorting is
        // faster than using the implementation for Iterator, which is
        // specialized for k much smaller than n.

        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked") // c only contains E's and doesn't escape
        E[] array = (E[]) collection.toArray();
        sort(array, this);

     * In that explanation's notation, our `overlap` check would be `x1 < y2 && y1 < x2`. We've
     * flipped one part of the check so that we're using "less than" in both cases (rather than a
     * mix of "less than" and "greater than"). We've also switched to "strictly less than" rather
     * than "less than or equal to" because of *handwave* the difference between "endpoints of
     * inclusive ranges" and "Cuts."
     */

   * ArithmeticException} rather than {@link IllegalArgumentException}.
   *
   * @param value any value in the range of the {@code int} type
   * @return the {@code int} value that equals {@code value}
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if {@code value} is greater than {@link Integer#MAX_VALUE} or
   *     less than {@link Integer#MIN_VALUE}
   */
  public static int checkedCast(long value) {

   *
   * @param value any value in the range of the {@code char} type
   * @return the {@code char} value that equals {@code value}
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if {@code value} is greater than {@link Character#MAX_VALUE}
   *     or less than {@link Character#MIN_VALUE}
   */
  public static char checkedCast(long value) {
    char result = (char) value;
    checkArgument(result == value, "Out of range: %s", value);
    return result;

   *
   * @param value any value in the range of the {@code short} type
   * @return the {@code short} value that equals {@code value}
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if {@code value} is greater than {@link Short#MAX_VALUE} or
   *     less than {@link Short#MIN_VALUE}
   */
  public static short checkedCast(long value) {
    short result = (short) value;
    checkArgument(result == value, "Out of range: %s", value);
    return result;
  }