diff --git a/examples/data1.yaml b/examples/data1.yaml
index 5be86e055a..26c3161c92 100644
--- a/examples/data1.yaml
+++ b/examples/data1.yaml
@@ -1,11 +1,3 @@
-# block comments come through
-person: # neither do comments on maps
-    name: Mike Wazowski # comments on values appear
-    pets: 
-    - cat # comments on array values appear
-    - dog # comments on array values appear
-    - things:
-        - frog
-    food: [pizza] # comments on arrays do not
-emptyArray: []
-emptyMap: []
\ No newline at end of file
+Foo: 3
+apple: 1
+bar: 2
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index b46d85e999..6733b5f7c8 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -29,6 +29,4 @@ require (
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.28.0 // indirect
 )
 
-go 1.21.0
-
-toolchain go1.22.5
+go 1.23.0
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/candidate_node.go b/pkg/yqlib/candidate_node.go
index 4762ea67d2..093d291df0 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/candidate_node.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/candidate_node.go
@@ -198,6 +198,29 @@ func (n *CandidateNode) SetParent(parent *CandidateNode) {
 	n.Parent = parent
 }
 
+type ValueVisitor func(*CandidateNode) error
+
+func (n *CandidateNode) VisitValues(visitor ValueVisitor) error {
+	if n.Kind == MappingNode {
+		for i := 1; i < len(n.Content); i = i + 2 {
+			if err := visitor(n.Content[i]); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	} else if n.Kind == SequenceNode {
+		for i := 0; i < len(n.Content); i = i + 1 {
+			if err := visitor(n.Content[i]); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (n *CandidateNode) CanVisitValues() bool {
+	return n.Kind == MappingNode || n.Kind == SequenceNode
+}
+
 func (n *CandidateNode) AddKeyValueChild(rawKey *CandidateNode, rawValue *CandidateNode) (*CandidateNode, *CandidateNode) {
 	key := rawKey.Copy()
 	key.SetParent(n)
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_sort.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_sort.go
index 9766742cbf..c76b98469b 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_sort.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_sort.go
@@ -26,33 +26,19 @@ func sortByOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *Expre
 
 		var sortableArray sortableNodeArray
 
-		if candidate.Kind == MappingNode {
-
-			sortableArray = make(sortableNodeArray, len(candidate.Content)/2)
-			for i := 1; i < len(candidate.Content); i = i + 2 {
-
-				originalNode := candidate.Content[i]
-				compareContext, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.SingleReadonlyChildContext(originalNode), expressionNode.RHS)
+		if candidate.CanVisitValues() {
+			sortableArray = make(sortableNodeArray, 0)
+			visitor := func(valueNode *CandidateNode) error {
+				compareContext, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.SingleReadonlyChildContext(valueNode), expressionNode.RHS)
 				if err != nil {
-					return Context{}, err
+					return err
 				}
-
-				sortableArray[i/2] = sortableNode{Node: originalNode, CompareContext: compareContext, dateTimeLayout: context.GetDateTimeLayout()}
-
+				sortableNode := sortableNode{Node: valueNode, CompareContext: compareContext, dateTimeLayout: context.GetDateTimeLayout()}
+				sortableArray = append(sortableArray, sortableNode)
+				return nil
 			}
-
-		} else if candidate.Kind == SequenceNode {
-			sortableArray = make(sortableNodeArray, len(candidate.Content))
-
-			for i, originalNode := range candidate.Content {
-
-				compareContext, err := d.GetMatchingNodes(context.SingleReadonlyChildContext(originalNode), expressionNode.RHS)
-				if err != nil {
-					return Context{}, err
-				}
-
-				sortableArray[i] = sortableNode{Node: originalNode, CompareContext: compareContext, dateTimeLayout: context.GetDateTimeLayout()}
-
+			if err := candidate.VisitValues(visitor); err != nil {
+				return context, err
 			}
 		} else {
 			return context, fmt.Errorf("node at path [%v] is not an array or map (it's a %v)", candidate.GetNicePath(), candidate.Tag)