rec.puzzles Archive

What words sound alike but have few letters in common?

language/english/pronunciation/homophone/homophones.disjoint

Problem

What words sound alike but have few letters in common?
Show solution
Longest (nearly) disjoint homophones:

shofar, chauffeur (3/15)
ceresin, Saracen (2/14)
cotter, Kadir (1/11)
cough, Kaf (0/8)
kernel, colonel (3/13)
choir, quire (2/10)
firs, furze (2/9)
peak, pique (1/9)
ate, eight (1/8)
picks, pyx (1/8)

Other shorter but completely disjoint homophones:

Ab        of
ay        eh
I        eye
haut        owe
fou        phew
gs        jeez
cay        k
k        quai
k        quay
chi        key
chi        quay
cue        q
c        sea
c        see
c        si
cee        si
a        ugh
aah        of
of        ugh
have        of
ewe        yo        u (3 disjoint homophones)
ewe        you
phew        u
phew        you
u        yew

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Unless noted otherwise, all words occur in Webster's Third New International
Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Springfield, MA, 1961.