%end_order = (
    $string1 => 0,
    $string2 => 1,
);

sub funky_sort {
    my $p_a = $string_table{$a};
    my $p_b = $string_table{$b};

    if ( ($p_a eq 'EXCEPTION') && ($p_b eq 'EXCEPTION') ) {
        return $p_a cmp $p_b;
    }
    elsif ( $p_a eq 'EXCEPTION' ) {
        return 1;
    }
    elsif ( $p_b eq 'EXCEPTION' ) {
        return -1;
    }
    else {
        $p_a->{ending} eq $p_b->{ending} or return (
                                                    $end_order{ $p_a->{ending} } <=> $end_order{ $p_b->{ending} }
                                                    );
        $p_a->{number} == $p_b->{number}
        or return ( -1 * ( $p_a->{number} <=> $p_b->{number} ) );
        $p_a->{initial} eq $p_b->{initial}
        or return ( $p_a->{initial} cmp $p_b->{initial} );
        $p_a->{another} eq $p_b->{another}
            or return ( $p_a->{another} cmp $p_b->{another} );

        # If all of these are true, then the two are equal.
        return 0;
    }

}