counting distinct items within a cell

[TrentA]

How would I specific items within a cell or column?

EX:

x,y,1,4,3*,2,x
x,4,9,y,z,y

How would I write a formula to count the x's in this column?

Thanks

 

[Bob Phillips]

=SUMPRODUCT(--(LEN(A1:A20)-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(A1:A20,"x",""))))

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HTH

Bob

(there's no email, no snail mail, but somewhere should be gmail in my addy)