Abstract: More easily readable matter is provided by intelligible characters which have spaced stroke components and a contrast space between the stroke components, the stroke components forming the intelligible character so that the width is at least about 20% greater than the height. The component strokes have mass or weight which does not exceed 5% of the contrast space with horizontal stroke components; and which does not exceed 30% of the contrast stroke with vertical space components. Cut-ins at stroke component junctions and spurs at outside corners of stroke components allow printing of the intelligible characters without objectionable rounding or filling-in.