You are correct that the OP has confusion about number on the capture buffers, but there's something a little odd going on here with the greedy + (in my mind). 
#!/usr/bin/perl
use 5.10.0;
my $re = qr/(?:(simple).*?)+/;
my $string = "This is a simple thing just a simple simple thing.";

$string =~ /$re/g;

say $&;

[download]
outputs 
simple

[download]
but changing line 3 to 
my $re = qr/(?:(simple).*?){3}/;

[download]
outputs 
simple thing just a simple simple

[download]
Why is the repeat failing? Is it because the non-greediness of the inner term somehow trumps the greediness of the outer?

#11929 First ask yourself `How would I do this without a computer?' Then have the computer do it the same way.

In reply to Re^2: Matching a regular expression group multiple times by kennethk
in thread Matching a regular expression group multiple times by Anonymous Monk

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