#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;
( @![(0)x5], my $x )= split /-/, "a-b-c-d-e-f-g-h-i-j";
# (undef)x5,
# @![1..5],
# @{[]}[(0)x5],
print "\$x=($x)\n";
__END__
$x=(f)
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Note that no extra keystrokes are required. (: You can golf off one keystroke at the expense of more memory consumed. Update: For two or three extra keystrokes you can avoid damaging the important global @! array.

Yes, if I got code from someone that used this, I would indeed shoot them.