What is this if {} then {} construct you speak of? It doesn't exist in any language I'm familiar with.

That aside, what is the point you are trying to make? As a general thing smaller is better for clarity so long as you are being sensible. Single letter and generic variable names are not sensible. Being too clever is generally not sensible. Applying rules always is often not sensible. Breaking the rules often is always not sensible. So, what is the sensible point you are trying to make?

An if {} then {} construct exists in Tcl, where then is an optional noise word, but Tcl has no equivalent to Perl's xor operator, so his comparison is still bogus. The Perl equivalent would be if () {} which is only seven characters (and Tcl accepts an equivalent if {} {} syntax) but it is still wrong because our questioner is talking about using xor as another type of fat comma in contexts where an actual comma or fat comma would cause perl's parser to extract an unintended meaning for the expression.

No one who knows what golf is does it in production code and the single-letter-variable-name crowd straight outta C-ton has no idea what you’re talking about. “Clarity” in quotes from someone whose Perl is atrocious is just risible and like all LCD boosterism is more about catering to the worst than coaching to the best. You’ve been posting frequently the last couple days… what on God’s green Earth do you get out of it? Especially “anonymously.”