=over =item $LAST_SUBMATCH_RESULT =item $^N X<$^N> X<$LAST_SUBMATCH_RESULT> The text matched by the used group most-recently closed (i.e. the group with the rightmost closing parenthesis) of the last successful search pattern. This is subtly different from C<$+>. For example in "ab" =~ /^((.)(.))$/ we have $1,$^N have the value "ab" $2 has the value "a" $3,$+ have the value "b" This is primarily used inside C<(?{...})> blocks for examining text recently matched. For example, to effectively capture text to a variable (in addition to C<$1>, C<$2>, etc.), replace C<(...)> with (?:(...)(?{ $var = $^N })) By setting and then using C<$var> in this way relieves you from having to worry about exactly which numbered set of parentheses they are. This variable was added in Perl v5.8.0. Mnemonic: the (possibly) Nested parenthesis that most recently closed. =back