in reply to Sorting arrays and maintaining an index

Would not:
@arrays = sort { $a->[$y] cmp $b->[$y] } @arrays;
do the trick, where @arrays is an array of references to the arrays you want to sort?
Dr. Michael K. Neylon - mneylon-pm@masemware.com || "You've left the lens cap of your mind on again, Pinky" - The Brain