Why can't you puts a hash directly?

gistfile1.txt

[serious_business (master)↑⚡] ➔ irb
1.9.3p0 :001 > puts {3 => 4}
SyntaxError: (irb):1: syntax error, unexpected tASSOC, expecting '}'
puts {3 => 4}
          ^
	from /Users/mac/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p0/bin/irb:16:in `<main>'
1.9.3p0 :002 > p {3 => 4}
SyntaxError: (irb):2: syntax error, unexpected tASSOC, expecting '}'
p {3 => 4}
       ^
	from /Users/mac/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p0/bin/irb:16:in `<main>'
1.9.3p0 :003 > h = {3 => 4}
 => {3=>4} 
1.9.3p0 :004 > puts h
{3=>4}
 => nil 
1.9.3p0 :005 > 

try:

puts({3 =>4})

Compare to this:

puts { "lol" }

or with:

puts { f='lol'; f += ' wat' }

...and now you know why :-)

It's interpreting the hash as a block argument to the puts method. Try this:

puts({3 => 4})

Ah ha, I see! For some reason it didn't twig that it was interpreting it as a block. Thanks!