Match word patterns with LIKE and SUBSTRING, build sorted-letter anagram signatures, and use a leading-letter index for crossword searches.
INNER JOIN vs JOIN in SQL Server: Is There Any Difference?
INNER JOIN vs JOIN is a question about one optional keyword. The tests here show identical results, identical query and plan hashes, the one place where INNER is required, and the LEFT JOIN trap that really does change the rows.
Bit Functions in SQL Server 2022: BIT_COUNT, GET_BIT and LEFT_SHIFT
Use BIT_COUNT and SQL Server 2022 bit functions to read, set, count, and shift flags, while choosing clear storage for ordinary settings.
![A table of 12 first names with the 6 matches marked Yes, beside the pattern LIKE '[a-m]%z' split into three parts: one letter from a to m, any run of characters, and a final z](https://blog.sqlauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/querying-pattern-ranges-with-like-a-wildcard-puzzle-with-the-answer-cover.webp)
Querying Pattern Ranges With LIKE: A Wildcard Puzzle With the Answer
Querying pattern ranges with LIKE takes the % wildcard and a range in square brackets. This puzzle asks which of six queries finds every first name that starts with a letter from A to M and ends with z. The answer is tested on a small Members table, along with the = trap, the NOT range and a collation trap. Every result comes from SQL Server 2025.
Three-Valued Logic: TRUE, FALSE and UNKNOWN in a WHERE Clause
Understand three-valued logic in WHERE and CHECK, avoid NULL-poisoned NOT IN, and use SQL Server 2022 null-safe comparisons.
Order of Operations in SQL Server: How PEMDAS Works in T-SQL
The order of operations in SQL Server follows PEMDAS, so 6/2*(1+2) returns 9. This post walks through the precedence rules with tested queries. It also covers integer division, the negative number trap and AND before OR.
Compound Assignment Operators in SQL Server: SQL in Sixty Seconds #009
Compound assignment operators such as += and *= combine an operation with an assignment in T-SQL. The tests here run all eight operators on SQL Server 2025, and show how NULL, integer division, overflow, truncation and precedence change the result.