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Let's solve this Dictionary Guide Words worksheet step by step.

🔍 What are "guide words"?

Guide words appear at the top of a dictionary page and show the first and last words on that page. Any word that comes alphabetically between those two guide words will be on the same page.

So, for each question:
- We are given two guide words (e.g., *artist – ascendant*).
- We need to circle the word from the options that falls between them alphabetically.

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Let’s go through each one:

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1. artist – ascendant

Words: aspect, artisan, artsy

- Alphabetical order:
- artist
- artisan → comes after "artist", before "ascendant"? Let's check:
- "artist" vs "artisan": both start with "art"
- Next letter: 'i' vs 'i' → same
- Then: 's' vs 's' → same
- Then: 't' vs 'i' → 't' > 'i', so artisan < artist
- Wait! Actually: "artisan" = a-r-t-i-s-a-n
- "artist" = a-r-t-i-s-t
- Compare letter by letter:
- a-r-t-i-s → same up to here
- then 'a' vs 't' → 'a' < 't'
- So artisan < artist

Wait — let's fix this properly.

We need to find which word is between "artist" and "ascendant".

But wait: "artist" comes after "ascendant" alphabetically?

Let’s compare:

- ascendant → a-s-c-e-n-d-a-n-t
- artist → a-r-t-i-s-t

Compare:
- a vs a → same
- s vs r → s > r → so ascendant > artist

So the correct order is:
artist < ascendant

So we want a word that is greater than "artist" and less than "ascendant"

Now check the options:

- aspect: a-s-p-e-c-t → compare with "artist":
- a-r-t-i-s-t vs a-s-p-e-c-t
- First letter: a = a
- Second: r vs s → r < s → so aspect > artist
- Now compare with "ascendant":
- a-s-p-e-c-t vs a-s-c-e-n-d-a-n-t
- First two letters: a-s = a-s
- Third: p vs c → p > c → so aspect > ascendant
→ too big ✘

- artisan: a-r-t-i-s-a-n
- Compare to "artist": a-r-t-i-s-t
- First 5 letters: a-r-t-i-s → same
- Then 'a' vs 't' → 'a' < 't' → so artisan < artist
→ too small ✘

- artsy: a-r-t-s-y
- Compare to "artist": a-r-t-i-s-t
- First three: a-r-t → same
- Fourth: s vs i → s > i → so artsy > artist
- Now compare to "ascendant": a-s-c-e-n-d-a-n-t
- a-r-t-s-y vs a-s-c-e-n-d-a-n-t
- First: a = a
- Second: r vs s → r < s → so artsy < ascendant
→ So artist < artsy < ascendant ✔

✔ Answer: artsy

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2. bushel – busywork

Words: bustle, bypass, bush

- Order: bushel → busywork
- b-u-s-h-e-l → b-u-s-y-w-o-r-k
- Compare: first 3 letters: b-u-s → same
- Fourth: h vs y → h < y → so bushel < busywork

We want a word between them.

Check options:

- bustle: b-u-s-t-l-e
- Compare to bushel: b-u-s-h-e-l
- First 3: b-u-s → same
- Fourth: t vs h → t > h → so bustle > bushel
- Compare to busywork: b-u-s-y-w-o-r-k
- First 3: b-u-s → same
- Fourth: t vs y → t < y → so bustle < busywork
→ So bushel < bustle < busywork ✔

- bypass: b-y-p-a-s-s → starts with b-y → y > u → so bypass > busywork ✘

- bush: b-u-s-h → compare to bushel: b-u-s-h-e-l
- First 4: b-u-s-h → same
- Then: nothing vs e → so bush < bushel ✘

✔ Answer: bustle

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3. catfight – cattail

Words: cater, cathedral, catty

- catfight → cattail
- Both start with "cat"
- catfight: c-a-t-f-i-g-h-t
- cattail: c-a-t-t-a-i-l
- Compare:
- c-a-t → same
- f vs t → f < t → so catfight < cattail

We want a word between them.

- cater: c-a-t-e-r
- Compare to catfight: c-a-t-f-i-g-h-t
- First 3: c-a-t → same
- Fourth: e vs f → e < f → so cater < catfight ✘

- cathedral: c-a-t-h-e-d-r-a-l
- Compare to catfight: c-a-t-f-i-g-h-t
- First 3: c-a-t → same
- Fourth: h vs f → h > f → so cathedral > catfight
- Compare to cattail: c-a-t-t-a-i-l
- Fourth: h vs t → h < t → so cathedral < cattail
→ So catfight < cathedral < cattail ✔

- catty: c-a-t-t-y
- Compare to catfight: c-a-t-f-i-g-h-t
- First 3: c-a-t → same
- Fourth: t vs f → t > f → so catty > catfight
- Compare to cattail: c-a-t-t-a-i-l
- First 4: c-a-t-t → same
- Fifth: y vs a → y > a → so catty > cattail ✘

✔ Answer: cathedral

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4. droll – drown

Words: droopy, drink, drowsy

- droll → drown
- d-r-o-l-l → d-r-o-w-n
- Compare: d-r-o → same
- l vs w → l < w → so droll < drown

We want a word between them.

- droopy: d-r-o-o-p-y
- Compare to droll: d-r-o-l-l
- First 3: d-r-o → same
- Fourth: o vs l → o > l → so droopy > droll
- Compare to drown: d-r-o-w-n
- First 3: d-r-o → same
- Fourth: o vs w → o < w → so droopy < drown
→ So droll < droopy < drown ✔

- drink: d-r-i-n-k → second letter: r → but third: i vs o → i < o → so drink < droll ✘

- drowsy: d-r-o-w-s-y
- Compare to droll: d-r-o-l-l → fourth letter: w vs l → w > l → so drowsy > droll
- Compare to drown: d-r-o-w-n → first 4 letters: d-r-o-w → same
- Then: s vs n → s > n → so drowsy > drown ✘

✔ Answer: droopy

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5. editor – effect

Words: edit, effort, educate

- editor → effect
- editor: e-d-i-t-o-r
- effect: e-f-f-e-c-t
- Compare: e = e
- d vs f → d < f → so editor < effect

We want a word between them.

- edit: e-d-i-t
- Compare to editor: e-d-i-t-o-r → first 4 letters: e-d-i-t → same
- Then: nothing vs o → so edit < editor ✘

- effort: e-f-f-o-r-t
- Compare to editor: e-d-i-t-o-r
- e = e
- f vs d → f > d → so effort > editor
- Compare to effect: e-f-f-e-c-t
- First 3: e-f-f → same
- Fourth: o vs e → o > e → so effort > effect ✘

- educate: e-d-u-c-a-t-e
- Compare to editor: e-d-i-t-o-r
- e = e
- d = d
- u vs i → u > i → so educate > editor
- Compare to effect: e-f-f-e-c-t
- e = e
- d vs f → d < f → so educate < effect
→ So editor < educate < effect ✔

✔ Answer: educate

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6. finding – finish

Words: firm, finger, film

- finding → finish
- finding: f-i-n-d-i-n-g
- finish: f-i-n-i-s-h
- Compare: f-i-n → same
- d vs i → d < i → so finding < finish

We want a word between them.

- firm: f-i-r-m
- Compare to finding: f-i-n-d-i-n-g
- f-i → same
- r vs n → r > n → so firm > finding
- Compare to finish: f-i-n-i-s-h
- f-i → same
- r vs n → r > n → so firm > finish ✘

- finger: f-i-n-g-e-r
- Compare to finding: f-i-n-d-i-n-g
- f-i-n → same
- g vs d → g > d → so finger > finding
- Compare to finish: f-i-n-i-s-h
- f-i-n → same
- g vs i → g < i → so finger < finish
→ So finding < finger < finish ✔

- film: f-i-l-m
- Compare to finding: f-i-n-d-i-n-g
- f-i → same
- l vs n → l < n → so film < finding ✘

✔ Answer: finger

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7. gravy – great

Words: greater, grave, greasy

- gravy → great
- gravy: g-r-a-v-y
- great: g-r-e-a-t
- Compare: g-r → same
- a vs e → a < e → so gravy < great

We want a word between them.

- greater: g-r-e-a-t-e-r
- Compare to gravy: g-r-a-v-y
- g-r → same
- e vs a → e > a → so greater > gravy
- Compare to great: g-r-e-a-t
- First 5: g-r-e-a-t → same
- Then: e-r vs nothing → so greater > great ✘

- grave: g-r-a-v-e
- Compare to gravy: g-r-a-v-y
- g-r-a-v → same
- e vs y → e < y → so grave < gravy ✘

- greasy: g-r-e-a-s-y
- Compare to gravy: g-r-a-v-y
- g-r → same
- e vs a → e > a → so greasy > gravy
- Compare to great: g-r-e-a-t
- g-r-e-a → same
- s vs t → s < t → so greasy < great
→ So gravy < greasy < great ✔

✔ Answer: greasy

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8. heartache – heater

Words: hay, hearty, headrest

- heartache → heater
- heartache: h-e-a-r-t-a-c-h-e
- heater: h-e-a-t-e-r
- Compare: h-e-a → same
- r vs t → r < t → so heartache < heater

We want a word between them.

- hay: h-a-y → second letter: a vs e → a < e → so hay < heartache ✘

- hearty: h-e-a-r-t-y
- Compare to heartache: h-e-a-r-t-a-c-h-e
- h-e-a-r-t → same
- y vs a → y > a → so hearty > heartache
- Compare to heater: h-e-a-t-e-r
- h-e-a → same
- r vs t → r < t → so hearty < heater
→ So heartache < hearty < heater ✔

- headrest: h-e-a-d-r-e-s-t
- Compare to heartache: h-e-a-r-t-a-c-h-e
- h-e-a → same
- d vs r → d < r → so headrest < heartache ✘

✔ Answer: hearty

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9. ice – idea

Words: icebox, ibis, idiom

- ice → idea
- ice: i-c-e
- idea: i-d-e-a
- Compare: i → same
- c vs d → c < d → so ice < idea

We want a word between them.

- icebox: i-c-e-b-o-x
- Compare to ice: i-c-e → same prefix
- Then: b-o-x vs nothing → so icebox > ice
- Compare to idea: i-d-e-a
- i-c-e vs i-d-e → c < d → so icebox < idea
→ So ice < icebox < idea ✔

- ibis: i-b-i-s → second letter: b vs c → b < c → so ibis < ice ✘

- idiom: i-d-i-o-m
- Compare to ice: i-c-e → i = i
- d vs c → d > c → so idiom > ice
- Compare to idea: i-d-e-a
- i-d → same
- i vs e → i > e → so idiom > idea ✘

✔ Answer: icebox

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10. jack – jade

Words: jaguar, jabber, jacket

- jack → jade
- jack: j-a-c-k
- jade: j-a-d-e
- Compare: j-a → same
- c vs d → c < d → so jack < jade

We want a word between them.

- jaguar: j-a-g-u-a-r
- Compare to jack: j-a-c-k
- j-a → same
- g vs c → g > c → so jaguar > jack
- Compare to jade: j-a-d-e
- j-a → same
- g vs d → g > d → so jaguar > jade ✘

- jabber: j-a-b-b-e-r
- Compare to jack: j-a-c-k
- j-a → same
- b vs c → b < c → so jabber < jack ✘

- jacket: j-a-c-k-e-t
- Compare to jack: j-a-c-k → same
- Then: e-t vs nothing → so jacket > jack
- Compare to jade: j-a-d-e
- j-a → same
- c vs d → c < d → so jacket < jade
→ So jack < jacket < jade ✔

✔ Answer: jacket

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11. lawyer – lazy

Words: layup, lazybones, lawn

- lawyer → lazy
- lawyer: l-a-w-y-e-r
- lazy: l-a-z-y
- Compare: l-a → same
- w vs z → w < z → so lawyer < lazy

We want a word between them.

- layup: l-a-y-u-p
- Compare to lawyer: l-a-w-y-e-r
- l-a → same
- y vs w → y > w → so layup > lawyer
- Compare to lazy: l-a-z-y
- l-a → same
- y vs z → y < z → so layup < lazy
→ So lawyer < layup < lazy ✔

- lazybones: l-a-z-y-b-o-n-e-s
- Compare to lazy: l-a-z-y → same prefix
- Then: b-o-n-e-s vs nothing → so lazybones > lazy ✘

- lawn: l-a-w-n
- Compare to lawyer: l-a-w-y-e-r
- l-a-w → same
- n vs y → n < y → so lawn < lawyer ✘

✔ Answer: layup

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12. kindling – kinship

Words: kitchen, kingdom, kilogram

- kindling → kinship
- kindling: k-i-n-d-l-i-n-g
- kinship: k-i-n-s-h-i-p
- Compare: k-i-n → same
- d vs s → d < s → so kindling < kinship

We want a word between them.

- kitchen: k-i-t-c-h-e-n
- Compare to kindling: k-i-n-d-l-i-n-g
- k-i → same
- t vs n → t > n → so kitchen > kindling
- Compare to kinship: k-i-n-s-h-i-p
- k-i → same
- t vs n → t > n → so kitchen > kinship ✘

- kingdom: k-i-n-g-d-o-m
- Compare to kindling: k-i-n-d-l-i-n-g
- k-i-n → same
- g vs d → g > d → so kingdom > kindling
- Compare to kinship: k-i-n-s-h-i-p
- k-i-n → same
- g vs s → g < s → so kingdom < kinship
→ So kindling < kingdom < kinship ✔

- kilogram: k-i-l-o-g-r-a-m
- Compare to kindling: k-i-n-d-l-i-n-g
- k-i → same
- l vs n → l < n → so kilogram < kindling ✘

✔ Answer: kingdom

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✔ Final Answers:

1. artsy
2. bustle
3. cathedral
4. droopy
5. educate
6. finger
7. greasy
8. hearty
9. icebox
10. jacket
11. layup
12. kingdom

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You can now circle these words on the worksheet! 🎉