{ \($$a->{$b}) }

##</code><code>##

% perl rec_walk.pl
Can't call method "List::Util::reduce" on unblessed reference at rec_walk.pl line 9.

##</code><code>##

use strict;
my %myhash;
$myhash{bedrock}{flintstone}{fred} = 3;

my $ref = pointer_to_element(\%myhash, qw(bedrock flintstone fred));

sub pointer_to_element {
  require List::Util;
  return List::Util::reduce { \($$a->{$b}) } \shift, @_;
}

##</code><code>##

use List::Util 'reduce';
sub pointer_to_element {
  return reduce { \($$a->{$b}) } \shift, @_;
}