sub elide_japhy {
  my ($s, $e) = @_;
  return $s == $e ?
    $s : 
    ("$s $e" =~ /^(\d*)\d* \1(\d*)$/ and "$s-$2");
}

##</code><code>##

sub elide_japhy {
  $_[0] == $_[1] ?
    shift :
    ("@_" =~ /^(\d*)\d* \1(\d*)$/ and "$_[0]-$2");
}

##</code><code>##

sub elide_japhy {
  "@_" =~ /^(\d*)(\d*) \1(?!\2)(\d*)$/ ? "$_[0]-$3" : shift;
}