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What English Word Retains The Same Pronunciation, Even After You Take Away Four Of Its Five Letters?

What English Word Keeps the Same Pronunciation After You Take Away Four of Its Five Letters? is a clever spelling riddle. Guess, then tap Show Answer.

Riddle: What English word retains the same pronunciation, even after you take away four of its five letters?
Answer: Queue

Need a hint?

You stand in one at the bus stop or the supermarket.

Answer and explanation (spoiler!)

The answer is queue.

“Queue” is pronounced just like the letter Q. Take away the last four letters (U-E-U-E) and you’re left with “Q”, which sounds exactly the same.

It’s one of the strangest spellings in English: five letters, but only one sound.

Difficulty: Hard · Best for: ages 10 and up

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FAQ

What does queue mean?

A line of people waiting their turn. Americans usually say “line”.

Are there other answers?

Queue is the famous one. Hardly any other word works so neatly.