Wishing to maintain "strict refs purity" is entirely commendable :-)

For completeness, however, I'll point out that the 'no strict'-ness is scoped within the current block. So the unpleasantness is contained. In the code I gave the the nastiness was enclosed in a subroutine. If it's necessary to do this in 'open code' you can always:

  { no strict 'refs' ;

    ....   # unspeakable stuff redacted

  } ;
[download]

to avoid contagion

Anyway, I think that with a small penance, in the form, say, of an explanatory comment, one can forgive oneself this particular sin -- provided it doesn't become a habit :-)