The space matched in the former [[:alpha:] ], and can't matched in the last \s+Age:。So I think the text can't matched the reg pattern. Because there is only one space between name and age.

Hmm, if perl matches it, why do you think that is?

If you turn on use re 'debug' ; what do you see?

I see 

 149 <Princ> <e Age: 53>     | 21:    CLOSE1(23)
 149 <Princ> <e Age: 53>     | 23:    PLUS(25)
                                      SPACE can match 0 times out of 2
+147483647...
                                      failed...
                                    ANYOF[ A-Za-z][{unicode}+utf8::XPo
+sixAlpha  00AA 00B5 00BA 00C0-00D6 00D8-00F6 00F8-
02C1] can match 1 times out of 1...
 150 <rince> < Age: 53%n>    | 21:    CLOSE1(23)
 150 <rince> < Age: 53%n>    | 23:    PLUS(25)
                                      SPACE can match 1 times out of 2
+147483647...
 151 <ince > <Age: 53%nO>    | 25:      EXACT <Age:>(27)
 155 < Age:> < 53%nOccup>    | 27:      PLUS(29)
                                        SPACE can match 1 times out of
+ 2147483647...

[download]

+? means match the least amount possible, the least amount doesn't include space, because the next pattern wants space

In reply to Re^3: a regex pattern how to understand by Anonymous Monk
in thread a regex pattern how to understand by Thai Heng

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