Four

Five letters — e a B n o — stroked outward until their interiors close. At four points in that twelve-step sweep, the same machine was shown the image and asked, twenty times over, to transcribe any text it could see. It was never told how many letters there were, or what they were.

All eighty replies below are unedited and unranked, grouped by step, in the order they were given.

stroke 30

Five letterforms, moderately thickened, still legible as letters.

Twenty readings, 7 different transcriptions, none correct. The correct reading is e a B n o. It never once appears. The second letter is read as & or q in nineteen of twenty replies — never as a. When its counter closes, it does not go illegible. It becomes a different, specific letter.

all twenty replies, verbatim
  1. 01

    e q l B n o

  2. 02

    e & B n o

  3. 03

    e & B n o

  4. 04

    e abno

  5. 05

    e q B n o

  6. 06

    e & B n o

  7. 07

    e q l B n o

  8. 08

    e q & B n o

  9. 09

    e abno

  10. 10

    e & B o

  11. 11

    e & B n o

  12. 12

    e q & B n o

  13. 13

    e & B n o

  14. 14

    e & B n o

  15. 15

    e q & B n o

  16. 16

    e q & B n o

  17. 17

    e & B n o

  18. 18

    e & B n o

  19. 19

    e q & B n o

  20. 20

    e abc n o

stroke 42

Five letterforms thickened past legibility, stroke 42 of the sweep.

Twenty readings: 0 said five (correct), 20 said four. Unanimous, and unanimously wrong — the single most certain reply in this piece is the single most incorrect one. Somewhere between stroke 30 and here the reader stopped trying to read text at all and started describing shapes; nothing told it to switch. A second, independent batch of twenty at this same step gave nineteen of twenty — the same near-unanimous wrong answer, not a fluke of one run.

all twenty replies, verbatim
  1. 01

    The image features four black blobs, each with a distinct shape and size, arranged horizontally across the image. The first blob is circular, while the second and third blobs are irregularly shaped, featuring rounded edges and varying sizes. The fourth blob is also circular, but slightly smaller than the first one. The background of the

  2. 02

    The image features four black shapes, each with a distinct design. The first shape is a circle with a small indentation on the left side. The second shape is a rounded rectangle with a small indentation on the top-left side. The third shape is a rounded rectangle with a small indentation on the top-right side. The fourth

  3. 03

    The image features four black blobs on a white background, each with a distinct shape and size. The first blob is circular and solid, while the second and third blobs have a similar shape but are slightly irregular and have a small indentation on the left side. The fourth blob is also circular but has a smaller size compared to

  4. 04

    The image features four black shapes, each with a distinct form, arranged horizontally across the page. The first shape is a circle, while the second and third shapes resemble rounded, irregular letter "B"s. The fourth shape is a circle with a small notch cut out of its right side. The background of the image is

  5. 05

    The image features four black blobs, each with a distinct shape and size. The first blob is a circle, while the second and third blobs are irregularly shaped and appear to be connected at their bases. The fourth blob is also irregularly shaped but has a more rounded appearance. **Key Features:** * Four black

  6. 06

    The image presents a series of four black shapes on a white background, each with a distinct form and arrangement. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first shape positioned at the leftmost end and the last shape at the rightmost end. * **Shape 1:** * Located at

  7. 07

    The image features four black shapes on a white background. The first shape is a circle with a small indentation in the lower left side. The second shape is a rounded rectangle with a small indentation in the lower left side, resembling a letter "Q" or "8". The third shape is a rounded rectangle with a small

  8. 08

    The image features a series of four black shapes, each with a distinct design. The first shape is a solid circle, while the second shape is a cloud-like design with a rounded top and a flat bottom. The third shape is similar to the second, but with a more irregular outline. The fourth shape is a solid

  9. 09

    The image features four black shapes, each with a distinct design. The first shape is a circle, while the second and third shapes are irregularly shaped blobs with rounded edges. The fourth shape is also a circle, but slightly smaller than the first one. The shapes are arranged horizontally, with the first and fourth shapes being

  10. 10

    The image presents a sequence of four black shapes, each with a distinct design. The first shape is a solid circle, while the second shape features a smaller circle within it, creating a doughnut-like appearance. The third shape is a more complex design, comprising two interconnected circles with a gap in between. The fourth shape

  11. 11

    The image presents a series of four black silhouettes, each featuring a distinct shape. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal sequence, with the first silhouette on the left and the last on the right. * The first silhouette is a circle. * The second silhouette is a rounded, irregular shape resembling a cloud

  12. 12

    The image presents a sequence of four black circles with varying degrees of irregularity, set against a white background. The circles are arranged in a horizontal row, with each one positioned to the right of the previous one. Here is the list of bullet points describing the image: • **Circle 1**: + Position

  13. 13

    The image presents a series of four black shapes, each with a distinct form, arranged in a horizontal sequence. The shapes are set against a white background, which provides a clean and neutral contrast to the black forms. * The first shape is a circle with a small indentation on the left side, creating a sense of

  14. 14

    The image presents a sequence of four black silhouettes, each representing a distinct shape. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first shape on the left and the fourth shape on the right. * The first shape is a circle. * The second shape is an irregularly shaped blob with a

  15. 15

    The image features four black silhouettes of various shapes, each with a distinct design. The first silhouette is a circle, while the second and third silhouettes are irregularly shaped, with the second resembling a cloud and the third having a more angular appearance. The fourth silhouette is also a circle, but slightly smaller

  16. 16

    The image features four black circles with irregular shapes, each accompanied by a number in a white text box. The circles are arranged horizontally, with the first circle on the left and the fourth circle on the right. **Circle 1:** The first circle is a solid black circle with no irregularities or shapes. **

  17. 17

    The image presents a series of four black shapes on a white background, each with a distinct design. The first shape is a solid circle, while the second and third shapes are irregularly shaped blobs with rounded edges. The fourth shape is a solid circle with a smaller circle cut out of its center. **Key Features:

  18. 18

    The image features four black blobs, each with a unique shape and size. The first blob is circular, while the second and third blobs have rounded edges and are slightly irregular in shape. The fourth blob is also circular, but appears to be smaller than the first one. Here is a more detailed description of each blob:

  19. 19

    The image features a sequence of four black silhouettes, each representing a distinct letter of the alphabet. The letters are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first letter on the left and the last letter on the right. The first letter is "O", which is depicted as a solid circle. The second letter is

  20. 20

    The image presents a series of four black shapes, each with a distinct design. The first shape is a solid circle, while the second and third shapes feature a rounded, irregular outline with a small indentation at the bottom. The fourth shape is a solid circle with a smaller circle inside it. Here is a detailed description of

stroke 54

Five letterforms thickened past legibility, stroke 54 of the sweep.

Twenty readings: 14 said five (correct), 5 said four, 1 cut off by the token cap before finishing. For the first time, more readings are right than wrong.

all twenty replies, verbatim
  1. 01

    The image presents a collection of five black shapes, each with a distinct form, set against a white background. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal row, with varying sizes and orientations. * The first shape is a circle. * It is the largest of the five shapes. * It is positioned

  2. 02

    The image features a series of five black shapes, each with a distinct irregular shape and varying sizes. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first shape being the smallest and the last shape being the largest. The shapes are all black and have a solid fill, with no visible outlines or borders. They appear

  3. 03

    The image presents a series of five black shapes, each with a distinct design. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first shape on the left being a solid black circle, followed by three irregularly shaped blobs, and the final shape on the right being another solid black circle. * The first shape

  4. 04

    The image depicts a series of five black circles with varying shapes and sizes, arranged in a horizontal row. The circles are all solid black, with no visible outlines or borders. The first circle is a perfect circle, while the second and third circles have irregular shapes, with rounded edges and protrusions. The fourth circle has

  5. 05

    1. A solid black circle 2. A black shape resembling a cloud with a smaller cloud attached to the bottom 3. A black shape resembling a cloud with a smaller cloud attached to the right side 4. A black shape resembling a cloud with a smaller cloud attached to the bottom and a smaller cloud attached to

  6. 06

    The image features five black silhouettes of various shapes, each with a distinct design. The silhouettes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first one being a circle, followed by a shape resembling a cloud, then a shape that could be interpreted as a hat or a cloud, and finally two more shapes

  7. 07

    The image presents a series of four black silhouettes, each resembling a rounded shape with a smaller circle attached to its side. The silhouettes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first one on the left and the fourth on the right. * The first silhouette is a solid black circle. *

  8. 08

    The image presents a series of four black shapes, each with a distinct design, arranged in a horizontal row. The shapes are set against a white background, creating a striking visual contrast. Here is a detailed description of the image: * The first shape on the left is a solid black circle with no discernible features

  9. 09

    1. The first shape is a circle. 2. The second shape is a rounded square. 3. The third shape is a rounded rectangle. 4. The fourth shape is a rounded trapezoid. 5. The fifth shape is a circle.

  10. 10

    The image features a series of five black silhouettes, each with a distinct shape and design. The silhouettes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first one being a solid circle, the second one resembling a cloud with a small indentation at the top, the third one featuring a cloud-like shape with a

  11. 11

    The image features a series of four black silhouettes, each with a distinct shape, set against a white background. The silhouettes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first one being a circle, the second a rounded rectangle, the third a rounded trapezoid, and the fourth a circle with

  12. 12

    The image presents a series of five black circles, each with a distinct shape and size. The circles are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first circle being the smallest and the last circle being the largest. * The first circle is a solid black circle with no visible features or patterns. * It has

  13. 13

    The image features a series of five black silhouettes, each representing a distinct shape. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first shape on the left being a circle, followed by a rounded square, a rounded rectangle, a rounded trapezoid, and a circle on the right. Here is

  14. 14

    The image presents a series of five black silhouettes, each representing a distinct object. The silhouettes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first silhouette on the left and the last on the right. * The first silhouette is a circle. * It has no visible features or details.

  15. 15

    The image features five black silhouettes of various shapes, each with a distinct outline. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first shape being a circle, followed by two irregular shapes, and then two more irregular shapes that resemble a combination of a circle and a rectangle. The background of the image is

  16. 16

    The image features a series of five black circles, each with a distinct shape and size. The first circle is a perfect circle, while the second circle has a small indentation on its left side. The third circle has a larger indentation on its right side, and the fourth circle has two indentations, one on each side

  17. 17

    The image features five black silhouettes of circles with varying shapes, each with a distinct design. The first circle is a standard circle, while the second and third circles have a rounded, cloud-like shape with a small indentation on the right side. The fourth circle has a more irregular shape, with a rounded top and

  18. 18

    The image depicts a sequence of four black silhouettes, each representing a different shape. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first shape on the left and the fourth shape on the right. **Shape 1:** The first shape is a circle with a small indentation at the top, resembling a

  19. 19

    The image features a series of five black silhouettes, each representing a distinct shape. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first shape on the left being a circle, followed by a shape resembling a rounded square, then a rounded rectangle, and finally a circle again. Notably, the second and

  20. 20

    The image depicts a series of four black silhouettes, each representing a different shape. The first silhouette is a circle, the second is a rounded square with a smaller circle attached to its bottom-right corner, the third is a rounded rectangle with a smaller circle attached to its bottom-right corner, and the fourth is a

stroke 66

Five letterforms thickened past legibility, stroke 66 of the sweep.

Twenty readings: 11 said five (correct), 8 said four, 1 cut off by the token cap before finishing. Still more right than wrong — but less than at stroke 54, on a more destroyed image. Agreement and accuracy do not recover together.

all twenty replies, verbatim
  1. 01

    The image features five black circles with varying shapes and sizes, arranged in a horizontal row. The first circle is a standard circle, while the second circle has a small indentation on its right side. The third circle has a larger indentation on its right side, and the fourth circle has two indentations on its right side,

  2. 02

    The image features four black circles with varying shapes and sizes, each with a distinct design. The first circle is a standard, solid black shape. The second circle has a small indentation on its left side, creating a subtle asymmetry. The third circle boasts a large indentation on its right side, adding a sense of drama

  3. 03

    The image features five black circles with varying levels of distortion, arranged horizontally across the frame. The circles are all identical in size and color, but differ in their shape, with some appearing more circular and others exhibiting more pronounced irregularities. The background of the image is a solid white color.

  4. 04

    The image features five black silhouettes of irregularly shaped objects, arranged horizontally. The objects are identical in size and have a circular base with a rounded, irregular shape that tapers towards the top. The silhouettes are set against a white background.

  5. 05

    The image presents a series of four black circles with varying levels of opacity, arranged in a horizontal row. The circles are identical in size and shape, but differ in their fill patterns, which range from completely opaque to partially transparent. Here is the list of bullet points describing the image: • **Circle 1**: The

  6. 06

    The image presents a series of five black circles with varying levels of opacity, arranged in a horizontal row. The circles are all identical in size and shape, but differ in their fill levels, which range from completely opaque to partially transparent. * The first circle is fully opaque, with no visible background. * The

  7. 07

    1. The image features a series of four black circles, each with a distinct shape and size. 2. The first circle is a standard circle, while the second circle has a small indentation on its left side. 3. The third circle has a larger indentation on its left side, with a smaller indentation on its right

  8. 08

    The image presents a series of five black circles, each with a distinct shape and size. The circles are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first circle on the left being the largest and the last circle on the right being the smallest. * The first circle is a solid black circle with no visible features or markings

  9. 09

    The image features a series of five black circles, each with a distinct shape. The first circle is a standard, solid circle. The second circle has a small indentation on its left side, creating a slight asymmetry. The third circle has a larger indentation on its left side, with a more pronounced asymmetry. The

  10. 10

    The image presents a series of five black silhouettes, each representing a distinct shape. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal sequence, with the first shape on the left and the last shape on the right. * **Shape 1:** * Located on the far left * Circular in

  11. 11

    1. A solid black circle. 2. A solid black shape that looks like a rounded rectangle with a small indentation at the bottom left and a small protrusion at the top right. 3. A solid black shape that looks like a rounded rectangle with a large indentation at the bottom left and a large protrusion at the

  12. 12

    The image features a series of five black silhouettes, each with a distinct shape and size. The first silhouette is a circle, while the remaining four are irregularly shaped and appear to be overlapping or connected in some way. **Key Characteristics:** * The silhouettes are arranged in a horizontal row, with

  13. 13

    The image features four black circles with varying levels of irregularity, arranged in a horizontal row. The first circle is perfectly round, while the second and third circles have small indentations on their right sides. The fourth circle has a larger indentation on its right side, with a small indentation on the left side as well.

  14. 14

    The image shows a series of five black silhouettes, each representing a different shape. The shapes are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first shape on the left being a circle, followed by a shape that is roughly half a circle, then a shape that is roughly a quarter of a circle, then a shape

  15. 15

    The image features four black circles with varying degrees of irregularity, set against a white background. The circles are arranged in a horizontal row, with the first circle being perfectly round and the subsequent three exhibiting increasingly irregular shapes. The irregularities in the circles' shapes are characterized by small indentations and protrusions, which become

  16. 16

    The image depicts a sequence of four black circles with varying levels of distortion, each one more irregular than the last. The first circle is perfectly round and uniform, while the second circle has a slight indentation on its left side. The third circle has a more pronounced indentation on its left side, and the fourth circle has an

  17. 17

    The image features five black silhouettes of irregularly shaped circles, each with a unique design. The first circle is a standard circle, while the second and third circles have small indentations on their left sides. The fourth circle has a large indentation on its left side, and the fifth circle has a small indentation on

  18. 18

    The image features four black circles with varying levels of transparency, arranged horizontally. The first circle is solid black, while the second and third circles have smaller, rounded indentations in the middle. The fourth circle is also solid black, but with a slightly different shape than the first circle. The background of the image is white

  19. 19

    The image features a series of five black silhouettes, each with a distinct shape and size, arranged horizontally across the frame. The silhouettes are all solid black, with no visible details or textures. They appear to be simple shapes, possibly created using a computer program or software. Here is a detailed description of

  20. 20

    The image presents a sequence of four black silhouettes, each with a distinct shape and size. The silhouettes are arranged horizontally, with the first one being a circle, followed by a shape resembling a rounded rectangle with a curved bottom, a rounded rectangle with a flat bottom, and finally, a circle again.