while ($_ = substr($foo,$i++,1)){ if (++$_**2 == 0) { print "$foo Contains Alpha Characters\n"; last; } } #### my $i = 0; while (local $_ = substr($foo,$i++,1)){ if (++$_ == 0) { print "$foo Contains Alpha Characters\n"; last; } } #### while (++substr($foo,$i++,1) != 0){}