And some other ways: 
my $failmsg = '\*E';    # Single quotes prevent interpolation
my $failmsg = '[*]E';   # Character class makes it not special.

my $failmsg = "*E";
if (index($_, $failmsg) >= 0)  # Don't use a regexp.

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In reply to Re^2: Problem using value of variable in a regular expression by JavaFan
in thread Problem using value of variable in a regular expression by Anonymous Monk

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