Perl 5, score 24

print for a..z

• 5 characters removed
• Target output: ABABABABABABABABABABABABAB
• Current output: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

No interpreter flags or trickery involved, this is pure Perl.

Perl 5, score 24, safe

print for a..z

• 5 characters removed
• Target output: ABABABABABABABABABABABABAB
• Current output: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

No interpreter flags or trickery involved, this is pure Perl.

Solution

 print<\3>^B for a..z
 

The code works as is, but replace \3 with a literal \3 character to get the claimed score of 5 characters removed.

Perl 5, score 24

print for a..z

• 5 characters removed
• Target output: ABABABABABABABABABABABABAB
• Current output: Nothing

No interpreter flags or trickery involved, this is pure Perl.

Perl 5, score 24

print for a..z

• 5 characters removed
• Target output: ABABABABABABABABABABABABAB
• Current output: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

No interpreter flags or trickery involved, this is pure Perl.