mysql match string with start of string in table

Question

I realise that it would be a lot easier if I could modify the table when it was created, but assuming I can\'t, I have a table that is such as:

abcd
abde
abd         


        

Answer 1

LIKE can be avoided, by truncating the comparison string to each value's length:

... WHERE LEFT('abffagpokejfkjs', LENGTH(value)) = value