Fonts and Typography Cheat Sheet 2026
The 30 highest-yield Fonts and Typography facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.
- Which element of typographic hierarchy is most commonly set in the largest font size? → H1 heading
- What is 'subsetting' in the context of web fonts? → Including only the characters needed from a font file
- What is the recommended minimum font size for body text on websites for readability? → 16px
- What is 'bleed' in the context of print design? → Extending artwork beyond the trim edge so no white border appears after cutting
- What does 'tracking' adjust compared to kerning? → Uniform spacing across a range of characters, not specific pairs
- What does it mean when brand guidelines specify a 'reversed' or 'knockout' version of the wordmark? → The logo appears in white or a light color set against a dark background
- What is 'optical margin alignment' in print typography? → Extending punctuation slightly beyond the text margin for visual straightness
- Which font property most directly affects the legibility of text at very small sizes? → x-height
- What does 'point size' traditionally measure? → The vertical size of the font, with 72 points per inch
- Is this image's font serif or sans-serif? → Serif
- What does 'leading' refer to in print typography? → The vertical space between lines of text
- In a brand identity system, a 'type scale' refers to: → A proportional system that defines font sizes for each level of the content hierarchy
- What is a 'widow' in print typography? → A single word or short line left alone at the top of a column or page
- What is the purpose of a 'baseline grid' in establishing typographic hierarchy? → To align all text elements to a consistent vertical rhythm
- Which practice helps avoid visual competition between two paired fonts? → Assigning each font a distinct role (heading vs. body)
- Using contrasting fonts (that are also complementing) is an excellent approach to break up your design and provide hierarchy. → True
- What does 'kerning' adjust? → Spacing between specific pairs of letters
- What is 'color blindness safe' typography? → Typography that conveys information through more than color alone
- Which file format is most widely supported for web fonts across modern browsers? → WOFF2
- What is 'tracking' in print typography? → Uniform spacing adjustment applied across a range of characters
- Which notable campaign made the typeface Gotham famous as a vehicle for brand and political messaging in the United States? → Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign
- Which OpenType feature lets users access alternate stylistic letter designs? → Stylistic sets
- What is the term for the slight stress or thinning where two strokes meet, such as in 'V'? → Joint or vertex
- What is the term for the vertical space between two lines of text? → Leading
- Tracking differs from kerning because tracking adjusts: → Spacing uniformly across a range of text
- What is the primary reason luxury fashion brands often prefer serif typefaces in their logos and packaging? → Serif typefaces convey tradition, elegance, and authority
- What is typographic hierarchy in design? → A visual system that organizes text by importance
- What list-style allows you to position the list marker? → Position
- What minimum color contrast ratio does WCAG 2.1 Level AA require for normal body text? → 4.5:1
- Which characteristic makes a typeface most suitable for a wordmark logo intended to scale across many sizes? → High x-height and open counters
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