I don't understand the effort to use split and map in solutions. Even with this latest version of the assumed implied requirement, a good, old  s/// seems the best way: 

c:\@Work\Perl\monks>perl -wMstrict -le
"my $word = '$-.%aBc&/d-E';
 ;;
 (my $new_word = $word) =~ s{ ([^[:alpha:]]+ | [[:alpha:]]) }{[$1]}xms
+g;
 ;;
 print qq{'$word' -> '$new_word'};
"
'$-.%aBc&/d-E' -> '[$-.%][a][B][c][&/][d][-][E]'

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Give a man a fish:  <%-{-{-{-<

In reply to Re^8: regex find and replace with a twist by AnomalousMonk
in thread regex find and replace with a twist by Anonymous Monk

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