use strict; my $key; print "create hashref\n"; my $closurehash = { some_key => { name => 'fake35' } }; foreach $key ( keys(%{$closurehash}) ) { print "$closurehash->{$key}->{'name'}\n"; } print "add to hashref\n"; $closurehash->{ "test" } = "test"; # hash ref foreach $key ( keys(%{$closurehash}) ) { print "$closurehash->{$key}->{'name'}\n"; } print "delete from hashref\n"; delete $closurehash->{"fake35"}; foreach $key ( keys(%{$closurehash}) ) { print "$closurehash->{$key}->{'name'}\n"; } #### create hashref fake35 add to hashref Can't use string ("test") as a HASH ref while "strict refs" in use at test.pl line 12. #### $closurehash->{ "test" } = { name => "test"}; # hash ref