Ligatures and Blends List

Rob Barba

Heya, I'm throwing together my first interlock font and I'm trying to find anything out there that would help with the digraphs, trigraphs and other letter combinations.  For those of you who've done them before, how did you come upon the letter combinations?  Any recommended sites?  Thanks for any assistance.

Paul Hanslow

Are you talking about ligatures specifically, if so, I'd take a systematic approach and research letter pair frequency data to know what two (or three) letter combinations occur the most often in the languages specific to your needs. Then create ligatures for these pairs. Word of warning though, creating multiple ligatures can bloat the character set massively if each pair is a composite glyph, resulting in more to manage within the font (i.e. accents on pairs, kerning etc).

The Mrs Eaves typeface is worth a look if you're specifically after ligatures, but it depends on your typeface. Interlock may also help as a launching point for your research. I hope this helps.

Craig Eliason

I think I'd start from lettershapes amenable to interlocking rather than pairs based on frequency. I'd probably just print a page of AAABACADAEAF... and look for signs of physical attraction. 

Ray Larabie

Here's a typical interlock set I used for an all caps.  But it was also a textured typeface hence the doubles. I've attached a list of common digraphs and trigraphs which might be helpful. Suprisingly accents don't occur much in the most frequent digraphs and trigraphs for the languages I tested.

AA AT AZ BB BT BZ CC CT CZ DD DT DZ EA EB EC ED EE EF EG EH EI EJ EK EL EM EN EO EP EQ ER ES ET EU EV EW EX EY EZ FA FB FC FD FE FG FH FJ FM FN FO FP FR FS FT FU FW FY GG GT GZ HT II IT IZ KT LA LB LC LD LE LF LG LH LI LJ LK LL LM LN LO LP LQ LR LS LT LU LV LW LY MM MT NN NT NZ OO OT OZ PP PT RR RT RZ SS ST TA TB TC TD TE TF TG TH TI TJ TK TL TM TN TO TP TR TS TT TU TV TW TY TZ UT UU UZ VV WT WZ XT YT YZ ZA ZB ZE ZI ZK ZL ZM ZO ZP ZS ZU ZV ZW ZY ZZ WWW ATA CTA ETA FTA HTA ITA KTA OTA PTA RTA STA UTA ATB ETB FTB HTB OTB RTB STB UTB ATC ETC ITC OTC UTC ATE ETE FTE HTE ITE LTE NTE OTE PTE RTE STE UTE XTE YTE ATH DTH ETH FTH ITH LTH NTH OTH RTH UTH CTI ETI HTI ITI LTI NTI OTI STI FTL ATO ETO ITO NTO OTO STO UTO ATR STR ATS ETS HTS ITS LTS NTS OTS RTS ATU ETW ATY ITY NTY RTY STY EET EFT ELT XTR oneone twotwo threethree fourfour fivefive sixsix sevenseven eighteight ninenine zerozero ff fi fl

A_A A_T A_Z B_B B_T B_Z C_C C_T C_Z D_D D_T D_Z E_A E_B E_C E_D E_E E_F E_G E_H E_I E_J E_K E_L E_M E_N E_O E_P E_Q E_R E_S E_T E_U E_V E_W E_X E_Y E_Z F_A F_B F_C F_D F_E F_G F_H F_J F_M F_N F_O F_P F_R F_S F_T F_U F_W F_Y G_G G_T G_Z H_T I_I I_T I_Z K_T L_A L_B L_C L_D L_E L_F L_G L_H L_I L_J L_K L_L L_M L_N L_O L_P L_Q L_R L_S L_T L_U L_V L_W L_Y M_M M_T N_N N_T N_Z O_O O_T O_Z P_P P_T R_R R_T R_Z S_S S_T T_A T_B T_C T_D T_E T_F T_G T_H T_I T_J T_K T_L T_M T_N T_O T_P T_R T_S T_T T_U T_V T_W T_Y T_Z U_T U_U U_Z V_V W_T W_Z X_T Y_T Y_Z Z_A Z_B Z_E Z_I Z_K Z_L Z_M Z_O Z_P Z_S Z_U Z_V Z_W Z_Y Z_Z W_W_W A_T_A C_T_A E_T_A F_T_A H_T_A I_T_A K_T_A O_T_A P_T_A R_T_A S_T_A U_T_A A_T_B E_T_B F_T_B H_T_B O_T_B R_T_B S_T_B U_T_B A_T_C E_T_C I_T_C O_T_C U_T_C A_T_E E_T_E F_T_E H_T_E I_T_E L_T_E N_T_E O_T_E P_T_E R_T_E S_T_E U_T_E X_T_E Y_T_E A_T_H D_T_H E_T_H F_T_H I_T_H L_T_H N_T_H O_T_H R_T_H U_T_H C_T_I E_T_I H_T_I I_T_I L_T_I N_T_I O_T_I S_T_I F_T_L A_T_O E_T_O I_T_O N_T_O O_T_O S_T_O U_T_O A_T_R S_T_R A_T_S E_T_S H_T_S I_T_S L_T_S N_T_S O_T_S R_T_S A_T_U E_T_W A_T_Y I_T_Y N_T_Y R_T_Y S_T_Y E_E_T E_F_T E_L_T X_T_R one_one two_two three_three four_four five_five six_six seven_seven eight_eight nine_nine zero_zero ff fi fl

From Croteau

Here's an interlock set where I spent a week or so with an English Scrabble dictionary to eliminate unlikely digraphs and trigraphs. This was made a long time ago so I'd likely use something more multilingual now.

ATA CTA DTA ETA FTA HTA ITA KTA LTA NTA OTA PTA RTA STA TTA UTA ATB ETB FTB HTB OTB RTB STB UTB ATC ETC ITC OTC RTC STC UTC LTD OTD STD ATE ETE FTE HTE ITE LTE NTE OTE PTE RTE STE TTE UTE XTE YTE ZTE ATF BTF CTF ETF HTF ITF NTF RTF STF UTF OTG UTG ATH DTH ETH FTH GTH HTH ITH LTH MTH NTH OTH PTH RTH STH TTH UTH XTH YTH ATI BTI CTI DTI ETI FTI GTI HTI ITI LTI MTI NTI OTI PTI RTI STI TTI UTI ATL BTL CTL ETL FTL HTL ITL LTL NTL OTL PTL RTL STL TTL UTL ATM ETM HTM ITM NTM RTM STM UTM ATN CTN ETN FTN HTN ITN OTN RTN STN UTN ATO CTO ETO FTO ITO LTO NTO OTO PTO RTO STO TTO UTO ATP ETP RTP STP UTP ATR BTR CTR ETR ITR LTR NTR OTR RTR STR TTR UTR ATS BTS CTS ETS FTS HTS ITS LTS NTS OTS PTS RTS STS TTS UTS ATT ETT LITT OTT UTT ATU CTU ETU ITU LTU NTU OTU PTU RTU STU TTU UTU ATW ETW FTW NTW RTW STW UTW ATY ETY FTY HTY ITY LTY NTY OTY PTY RTY STY TTY UTY XTY ETZ ITZ LTZ RTZ STZ UTZ XTR AZA EZA TZA YZA ZZA AZE EZE IZE NZE OZE TZE UZE YZE ZZE AZI EZI IZI NZI OZI TZI YZI ZZI OZL ZZL IZM AZO EZO IZO NZO OZO ZZO AZY OZY ZZY AZZ EZZ IZZ OZZ UZZ TA TB TC TD TE TF TG TH TI TJ TK TL TO TP TR TS TT TU TV TW TY TZ TM TN LB LC LD LE LF LG LI LL LO LP LR LS LT LU LV LY LZ LA LH LK LM LN LW RB RC RD RE RF RG RI RJ RL RO RP RR RS IRT RU RV RX RY RZ RA RH RK RM RN RW EB EC ED EE EF EG EI EJ EL EO EP ER ES ET EU EV EX EY EEZ EA EH EK EM EN EW EAT DEB ECT IED EET EFT IEG DEI REK ELT ENT NEO EPT REQ ERT EST GET EUR DEV EXT EYE BEZ BEH EKI EMO END EUM BEV NEW FA FB FD FE FF FG FI FJ FL FO FR FS FT FY FH FK FM FN FU ZE ZI ZO ZU ZV ZY ZZ ZA AT BT CT DT NET IFT GT IT KT OT PT RT ST ITT XT YT HT MT NT UT WT AZ EZ IZ OZ YZ NZ UZ

A_T_A C_T_A D_T_A E_T_A F_T_A H_T_A I_T_A K_T_A L_T_A N_T_A O_T_A P_T_A R_T_A S_T_A T_T_A U_T_A A_T_B E_T_B F_T_B H_T_B O_T_B R_T_B S_T_B U_T_B A_T_C E_T_C I_T_C O_T_C R_T_C S_T_C U_T_C L_T_D O_T_D S_T_D A_T_E E_T_E F_T_E H_T_E I_T_E L_T_E N_T_E O_T_E P_T_E R_T_E S_T_E T_T_E U_T_E X_T_E Y_T_E Z_T_E A_T_F B_T_F C_T_F E_T_F H_T_F I_T_F N_T_F R_T_F S_T_F U_T_F O_T_G U_T_G A_T_H D_T_H E_T_H F_T_H G_T_H H_T_H I_T_H L_T_H M_T_H N_T_H O_T_H P_T_H R_T_H S_T_H T_T_H U_T_H X_T_H Y_T_H A_T_I B_T_I C_T_I D_T_I E_T_I F_T_I G_T_I H_T_I I_T_I L_T_I M_T_I N_T_I O_T_I P_T_I R_T_I S_T_I T_T_I U_T_I A_T_L B_T_L C_T_L E_T_L F_T_L H_T_L I_T_L L_T_L N_T_L O_T_L P_T_L R_T_L S_T_L T_T_L U_T_L A_T_M E_T_M H_T_M I_T_M N_T_M R_T_M S_T_M U_T_M A_T_N C_T_N E_T_N F_T_N H_T_N I_T_N O_T_N R_T_N S_T_N U_T_N A_T_O C_T_O E_T_O F_T_O I_T_O L_T_O N_T_O O_T_O P_T_O R_T_O S_T_O T_T_O U_T_O A_T_P E_T_P R_T_P S_T_P U_T_P A_T_R B_T_R C_T_R E_T_R I_T_R L_T_R N_T_R O_T_R R_T_R S_T_R T_T_R U_T_R A_T_S B_T_S C_T_S E_T_S F_T_S H_T_S I_T_S L_T_S N_T_S O_T_S P_T_S R_T_S S_T_S T_T_S U_T_S A_T_T E_T_T L_I_T_T O_T_T U_T_T A_T_U C_T_U E_T_U I_T_U L_T_U N_T_U O_T_U P_T_U R_T_U S_T_U T_T_U U_T_U A_T_W E_T_W F_T_W N_T_W R_T_W S_T_W U_T_W A_T_Y E_T_Y F_T_Y H_T_Y I_T_Y L_T_Y N_T_Y O_T_Y P_T_Y R_T_Y S_T_Y T_T_Y U_T_Y X_T_Y E_T_Z I_T_Z L_T_Z R_T_Z S_T_Z U_T_Z X_T_R A_Z_A E_Z_A T_Z_A Y_Z_A Z_Z_A A_Z_E E_Z_E I_Z_E N_Z_E O_Z_E T_Z_E U_Z_E Y_Z_E Z_Z_E A_Z_I E_Z_I I_Z_I N_Z_I O_Z_I T_Z_I Y_Z_I Z_Z_I O_Z_L Z_Z_L I_Z_M A_Z_O E_Z_O I_Z_O N_Z_O O_Z_O Z_Z_O A_Z_Y O_Z_Y Z_Z_Y A_Z_Z E_Z_Z I_Z_Z O_Z_Z U_Z_Z T_A T_B T_C T_D T_E T_F T_G T_H T_I T_J T_K T_L T_O T_P T_R T_S T_T T_U T_V T_W T_Y T_Z T_M T_N L_B L_C L_D L_E L_F L_G L_I L_L L_O L_P L_R L_S L_T L_U L_V L_Y L_Z L_A L_H L_K L_M L_N L_W R_B R_C R_D R_E R_F R_G R_I R_J R_L R_O R_P R_R R_S I_R_T R_U R_V R_X R_Y R_Z R_A R_H R_K R_M R_N R_W E_B E_C E_D E_E E_F E_G E_I E_J E_L E_O E_P E_R E_S E_T E_U E_V E_X E_Y E_E_Z E_A E_H E_K E_M E_N E_W E_A_T D_E_B E_C_T I_E_D E_E_T E_F_T I_E_G D_E_I R_E_K E_L_T E_N_T N_E_O E_P_T R_E_Q E_R_T E_S_T G_E_T E_U_R D_E_V E_X_T E_Y_E B_E_Z B_E_H E_K_I E_M_O E_N_D E_U_M B_E_V N_E_W F_A F_B F_D F_E F_F F_G F_I F_J F_L F_O F_R F_S F_T F_Y F_H F_K F_M F_N F_U Z_E Z_I Z_O Z_U Z_V Z_Y Z_Z Z_A A_T B_T C_T D_T N_E_T I_F_T G_T I_T K_T O_T P_T R_T S_T I_T_T X_T Y_T H_T M_T N_T U_T W_T A_Z E_Z I_Z O_Z Y_Z N_Z U_Z

From Sinzano

James Puckett

You could hire a programmer in the font scene to write a program that checks the typeface for diagraphs and trigraphs, scans open source dictionaries for real combinations of accented letters, and generates the feature code

Ray Larabie

I just remembered that the source was something related to ciphers. Maybe this one?

Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

Paul Hanslow said:

I'd take a systematic approach and research letter pair frequency data

Golden advice (also useful for kerning). Although in deference to what Craig said, with a "shape filter". Attached is a table for English, with qualitative indicators. Yes, I know it's butt-ugly. On the plus side (or maybe not) I compiled all the numbers by hand.

Rob Barba

Thanks all, I'm going to pour through this and see what I can cobble together.  I do like the idea of multilingucity, though then that's getting into the diacritics and woah is that going to be a pain and a half.  Regardless, thanks all!

Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian

If you're going to ligate, might as well ligate diacritics with their base letters! For max cultural authenticity.

https://twitter.com/hhpapazian/status/1151732938922479617