Why are you treating them any differently? Deal with output layers as closely to similar as possible, especially in the way you conceive of them.

While I'm not a Spreadsheet::WriteExcel expert, I would expect that write_col() writes a column. But, you're writing a bunch of stringified reference names, not a column of values.

It looks like you have a 2-D array and you're not thinking it through. Try something like:

# COMPLETELY UNTESTED!!!

my @values;
foreach my $hash_count (sort { $a <=> $b } keys %hash)
{
    foreach my $i (0 .. $#{$hash{$hash_count}})
    {
        push @{$values[$i]}, $hash{$hash_count}[$i];
    }
}

foreach my $i (0 .. $#values)
{
    $worksheet->write_col($i + 1, 1, $values[$i]);
}
[download]

In other words, transform your width-first group of arrays into a group of depth-first arrays, then write them out. (I hope I got the write_col() syntax correct.)

------
We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

The idea is a little like C++ templates, except not quite so brain-meltingly complicated. -- TheDamian, Exegesis 6

Please remember that I'm crufty and crochety. All opinions are purely mine and all code is untested, unless otherwise specified.