[irhd]

> Spreading it out over some other period

Yes.

They make a second last slightly long for some time period.

[zaxomi]

Or shorter... Leap seconds can be negative.

[duskwuff]

Theoretically, yes, but it's never happened since leap seconds were established in 1972, and it seems very unlikely to happen for quite some time. Chances are that a lot of software doesn't actually support negative leap seconds at all.