Invoking functions returned by methods that take implicits

Question

Given the following function:

def foo()(implicit count: Int): (String => Seq[String]) = {
  s => for (i <- 1 until count) yield s
}

Calling apply() on the result explicitly works:

implicit val count = 5

val x = foo().apply("x") // <- works fine

And setting the result to a val, which you then call as a function, works:

val f: String => Seq[String] = foo()
f("y") // <- works fine

But trying to do it all in one line, without apply, confuses the compiler into thinking you're passing the implicit explicitly:

val z = foo()("z") // type mismatch; found: String("z"), required: Int

Is there a way to do this without either the explicit apply or the intermediate val? For instance, is it possible somehow to move the implicit declaration into the returned anonymous function?

Answer 1

scala> (foo() _)("z")
res10: Seq[String] = Vector(z, z, z, z)