sub wordCheck{ my $s = join '', sort split'', $_[0]; my $re = join'.*', sort split'', $_[1]; print "doing: $s =~ $re"; return $s =~ $re; } print wordCheck( 'onlyones', $_ ) for qw[ none noon noone lyoness ];; doing: elnnoosy =~ e.*n.*n.*o 1 doing: elnnoosy =~ n.*n.*o.*o 1 doing: elnnoosy =~ e.*n.*n.*o.*o 1 doing: elnnoosy =~ e.*l.*n.*o.*s.*s.*y