Crypt Roman

Its x-height is 72.8% of the cap height, near the 74.5% typical of decorative fonts in the library, lower than 22 of the 35 other decorative fonts. Ascenders on b, d, h, k and l line up with the capitals (100% of their height), and descenders on g, j, p, q and y drop 16.2% of the cap height below the baseline, shallower than 31 of the 35 other decorative fonts. It sets narrow: an average lowercase letter, spacing included, is 71.2% as wide as the capitals are tall (an average capital, 78.7%), 6.6% less than the median for decorative fonts, so more words fit on a line. The o is an upright oval, 0.83 times as wide as it is tall, and M and W are the widest capitals, at 1.09 times the width of H. The O tops out level with H and dips 2.1% below the baseline.

The letters stand upright, with no measurable slant. Vertical stems measure 13.1% of the cap height, lighter than 19 of the 22 other decorative fonts. Ink covers 27.3% of each lowercase letter's box (its advance width by the cap height), lighter than 32 of the 35 other decorative fonts. Strokes keep nearly one thickness in every direction: the sides and the tops of o and O differ by 2%. Paint drips hang from the undersides of the strokes.

Its 148 characters include 105 Latin letters, plus 43 figures, punctuation marks and symbols; 53 of the Latin letters are accented or special forms beyond A to Z. The word space measures 29.3% of the cap height, and the blank space either side of a lowercase letter takes up 5.7% of its width. Spacing is adjusted with 163 kerning pairs, fewer than 20 of the 35 other decorative fonts. The tightest of them is AV, which closes up by 22.2% of the cap height. The figures have different widths, so columns of numbers set in Crypt Roman will not line up exactly.

Crypt Roman is drawn on the same letter structure as 3 other fonts in the library. Compared with Crypt Roman, Regal Inline cuts a thin line along each stroke, sets 12% wider and puts down 40% less ink. Treatise Roman keeps the letters plain, without the drip effect and sets 8% wider. Herald Nib Roman keeps the letters plain, without the drip effect and sets 17% wider.