This might not be possible, but one never knows?

I want to have tags with names like:

<div id=layer(x)...

And attach a style sheet that will define them without regard to the (x),

#layer(){
...
}

Please excuse my syntax, can anyone help?

No it's not.

If i understand what you want to do then you could achieve it by using something like:

<div id='layer' class='x'>
<div id='layer' class='y'>
<div id='layer' class='z'>...

and write the stylesheet accordingly, that way you would have your master 'layer' id and the more selective classes.

Nope, other way around. IDs HAVE to be unique

I am not sure what you are trying to do.