$ perl -Mstrict -e 'my $CODE_REF = \"if (\$c == 64) { \$MODE = print \"\\n\"; }" . " else { print chr(\$MODE = \$MODE & 1 ? 32 : 35) x \$c; } "; $CODE_REF->();' Can't use string ("SCALAR(0xa00038c70) else { print"...) as a subroutine ref while "strict refs" in use at -e line 1.