say scalar split /\W/,  "the cat is the on the mat";       # 7
say scalar split /\W/,  "the  cat  is  the  on  the  mat"; # 13

say scalar split /\W+/, "the cat is the on the mat";       # 7
say scalar split /\W+/, "the  cat  is  the  on  the  mat"; # 7