Deleting file with back slash in name

I somehow created a file called "\ --directory" in the / directory of my server. I created it trying to create a tar file from the command line...I'm not sure what I had typed exactly since I did it a few hours ago.

I can't figure out how to delete it, no matter what I try it says "no such file or directory".

When trying to deleet files with bizarre names, containing special characters I tend to tread carefully and use the ls command first to find out just what the shell will accept. Once I can list the file I will change the ls to rm. Anyway, try:

That doesn't work either. It simple gives me

I hate trying stuff like this ...! As I said, messing about with an ls command can work wonders ... sometimes you need to 'quote' spaces (such as (\ ), sometimes having them in quotes (" ") is enough.
What do:

return?

If the file is named

then use this to remove it

Also, if you have mc installed on your linux box you can let mc do the hard work of parsing the filename, you just have to arrow the selection bar over the offending file and delete it.

I went the MC route (I've never heard of this, so thanks!).

Even didn't work. But it's fixed now, again many thanks guys.

I find mc indispensable for command-line work. It's the first thing I add on a new linux system.

You might have had a non-printing character in your filename. I once had a filename that had embedded a couple ctrl-H (backspace) that hid the complete filename. The cursor backed up and overwrote a couple characters that you couldn't see.