$VAR1 = [ [ 'a', 'W', 'interupt' ], [ 'b', 'R', 'interrupt' ], [ 'c', 'W', 'innterupt' ], [ 'd', 'W', 'intterupt' ] ]; ($answer,) = grep { $$_[0] eq 'b' } @$VAR1; print "@$answer";