 Natural cubic spline interpolant

For at least two distinct knots $x_1<\cdots <x_n$ and values $v_i$, the unique natural cubic spline matching those values and linear beyond $x_1,x_n$. Its interpolation map is a linear map by uniqueness. Over a larger domain $[a,b]$, the two exterior pieces remain linear. With only one knot, arbitrary slopes of affine functions make uniqueness false.