Find the first "p" string and match as many characters as possible until the last possible "t" is reached.

 
<?
$text = "pot post pat patent";
if (preg_match ( "/p.*t/", $text, $array ) ) {
  print "<pre>\n";
  print_r( $array );
  print "</pre>\n";
}
?>

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Find the first "p" string and match as many characters as possible until the last possible "t" is reached. : preg_match « String « PHP