my ($max, $cval, $inc_var, $sref, $d_or_b) =
    ($l == $k) ? ([$k,$lt], 0, undef, \@s,     $b) :
    ($l <  $k) ? ([$k,$lt], 2, \$j,   \@s_rev, $d) :
                 ([$l,$kt], 1, \$i,   \@s,     $b);
$sref->[$d_or_b+1] ||= $max->[0] - 2 if $max->[0] > 2;
$h                   = $s[$b] == 0 ? 0 : $s[$b]-1;
$s[$b1]              = max(@$max);
$c                   = $cval;
$$inc_var++  if $inc_var;
$h = $c = 0  if ( $l==$k );