my $stuff = q:to/END/; State Capitals Quiz Alabama - Montgomery Alaska - Juneau Arizona - Phoenix Arkansas - Little Rock California - Sacramento Colorado - Denver Connecticut - Hartford Delaware - Dover Florida - Tallahassee Georgia - Atlanta Hawaii - Honolulu END my @lines = $stuff.lines; my $quiz-name = @lines.shift; say $quiz-name; # Method #1 - This version works how I want it to. .split(" - ").Hash.say for @lines; # Method #2 - This does not work how I want it to. # I'm not sure why / how this is different that Method #1 say @lines.split(" - ").Hash; # Method #3 - This is the same as Method #2 my %data = @lines.split(" - "); say %data;