You're talking about symbolic references. The syntax you are looking for is just like that for real references. 

$c = 'foo';
$want = 'c';
print $$want, $/;

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Strictures will complain about symrefs and fail to run. As you say, usually a hash is wanted when they are introduced.

After Compline,
Zaxo

In reply to Re: Value of a scalar specified by a second scalar by Zaxo
in thread Value of a scalar specified by a second scalar by bangers

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