Hopefully this will help a bit.
Insert an empty column A.
Say that your column with texta-44 etc. is column B starting in B1.
In cell A1 copy/paste this formula & copy down :
=IF(ISERROR(FIND("-",B1)),"",LEFT(B1,FIND("-",B1)-1))

If there is a "-" in column B it shows the characters to the left
otherwise blank.

You could then sort on column A then check for duplicates.

Perhaps by using another column with the formula :-
=IF(A1=A2,1,0)
which puts a number 1 in duplicate row

--
Brian

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