A R N D * A 4 -1 -2 -2 -2 R -1 5 0 -2 -2 N -2 0 6 1 -2 D -2 -2 1 6 -2 * -2 -2 -2 -2 4 my data structure sees like this: $VAR1 = { 'A' => { 'A' => 4, 'R' => -1, 'N' => -2, 'D' => -2, }, 'R' => {'A'=> -1, 'R'=> 5, and so on with all rows