Spiral rule and 'declaration follows usage' for parsing C and C++ declarations
You just have to build it up in steps.
char *X(); // X =~ (*(*a[N])())
Function returning char*
char *(*Y())(); // Y =~ (*a[N])
Function returning pointer to function returning char*.
In a declaration, just as in an expression (declaration follow usage), postfix [] has a higher precedence that unary * so *a[N] is equivalent to *(a[N]), not (*a)[N].
char *(*(*Z)())(); // Z =~ a[N]
Pointer to function returning pointer to function returning char*.
char *(*(*a[N])())();
Array of N pointers to functions returning a pointer to function returning char*.