Nancy
Typeface
2025
Writers and journalists have long cherished typewriters for their unique combination of literary seriousness and romantic allure. It is a timeless machine. Without formatting options or stylistic flourishes to embellish or personalize, what remains is essential: the writer, their words, and the *clack* of keys. When I think of an old-school detective, I think of case files stabbed out via typewriter. I’ve always been been charmed by the feeling of text produced this way, and wanted Nancy to embody that.
Named after the original girl detective, Nancy Drew. Built in RoboFont.
The overpronounced ball terminal that appears first in a, c, f, j, r, and y is an important defining characteristic of Nancy. This added a challenging visual weight imbalance, but when approached with care (and a delicate push and pull between mathematical vs. optical), it also imbued the typeface with so much of its distinct personality. This was the first unique design choice that I knew I wanted to include in this font.
One of the most wonderful things about typewriter fonts is their versatility—pre-digital constraints made it all the more important that one typeface could work equally well for small print and large headlines. Nancy was designed with *just enough* contrast to appear striking and unique without compromising legibility, allowing her to scale easily and serve a myriad of practical purposes.
Nancy looks great in any color, but all great detectives must look their best in herringbone.