Try 
sort { $self->specialSort($a, $b) } @{$self->{things}})

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and remove specialSort from MySubclass.
you have to use 1st and 2nd arguments instead of $a and $b in base class' specialSort

You cannot use $self->specialSort as subroutine name, so you have to use new "subroutine": 
{ $self->specialSort($a, $b) }

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Also, technically, you can put 
use base qw/Exporter/;
@EXPORT = qw/specialSort/;

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into base class,
then remove specialSort from MySubclass, and then it will work.
but it's probably bad style to mix inheritance and exported functions.

UPD: fixed $a,$b in code

In reply to Re^3: Inherit custom sort method from base class by vsespb
in thread Inherit custom sort method from base class by adaughterson

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